Eight-panel single doors were employed extensively throughout the
eighteenth century, and this is one of the most picturesque and
distinctive of Philadelphia types. For the most part the panels were
arranged as shown by the doors of the Perot-Morris, Powel and Wharton
houses with a pair of small and large panels in alternation. Other
notable instances are to be seen at Loudoun, Chalkley Hall and the
Blackwell house. The top or first and third pairs were about half as
high as their width, while the second and fourth pairs were oblong and
usually of the same size, their height about one and one-half times
their width. The door at Upsala is a rare instance of the fourth pair of
panels lower than the second, whereas that at Number 301 South Seventh
Street shows this type with molded flat panels. As is well shown by the
door of the Perot-Morris house, the fourth rail was the broad lock rail,
and as in those days the latch was often separate, it was frequently
placed on the rail above, and hence often referred to as the latch rail.
Another less common type of eight-panel single door is shown in
accompanying illustrations by doors at Number 4908 Germantown Avenue,
Number 39 Fisher's Lane, Wayne Junction and Number 224 South Eighth
Street. The panel arrangement consisted of three pairs of nearly square
panels above the lock rail and one pair twice as high below. Of the
doors mentioned, that at Wayne Junction is unique in its flat molded
panels.
A corresponding panel arrangement of double doors is to be seen at The
Highlands. Usually, however, four-panel double doors took the alternate
small and large panel arrangement and were virtually halves of the more
common type of eight-panel single door. Such doors at Stenton, Cliveden
and the Morris house are illustrated in detail, and similar ones gave
entrance to Hope Lodge, Woodford and Vernon. The Woodford doors are
interesting for their glazed quatrefoil openings in the top pair of
panels, the Vernon doors for a handsome brass knocker on the second
panel of each one.
For the most part Philadelphia doorways were deeply recessed in
connection with stone construction because of the great thickness of
the walls. Paneled jambs were let into the reveals of the opening, and
whatever the panel arrangement of the door, a corresponding arrangement
was followed in paneling the jambs and the soffit of the arch or flat
lintel above. Such a distinctive and pleasing feature did this become
that it was widely adapted to brick construction, the outward projection
of pilasters and engaged columns, often both, supporting pediments and
entablatures which had the effect of increasing the depth of brick
walls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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