Download pennsylvania historic resource survey form

89A
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY FORM ─ PHOTO/SITE PLAN SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Historic Preservation
Commonwealth Keystone Building, 2nd Floor, 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026
Survey Code:
Tax Parcel:
County:
020
62-2-13
Chester 029
Kennett Meeting
House
Photographs
Photo 1. Kennett Meeting
House, facing west
Photographer:
Wise Preservation Planning
LLC
Date: 2/11/2009
Location Map
Kennett Square U.S.G.S. Quad
map
(See Site Plan in Additional
Documentation)
Historic / Other Name:
Address:
Municipality:
Kennett Meeting House
488 Meetinghouse LA
Kennett Township
89B
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – DATA SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
IDENTIFICATION AND LOCATION
Survey Code
020
Tax Parcel No.
62-2-13
County
1. Chester 029
2.
Municipality
1. Kennett Township
2.
Address
488 Meetinghouse LA
Historic Name
Kennett Meeting House
Other Name
Old Kennett Meeting House
Owner Name / Address
Owner Category
x Private
Public – local
Public – state
Resource Category x Building
District
Site
Structure
Number/Approximate Number of Resources Covered by This Form
4
USGS Quad
1. Kennett Square
2.
UTM References
A.
B.
C.
Historic Function Category
A. RELIGION
B. FUNERARY
C. RELIGION
D. RELIGION
A.
Particular Type
B.
C.
D.
Current Function Category
A. RELIGION
B. FUNERARY
C. RELIGION
D. RELIGION
Structural System
Width 3 bay / feet
D.
HISTORIC AND CURRENT FUNCTIONS
Subcategory
Religious facility
Cemetery
Religious facility
Religious facility
Meeting House
Burial Ground
Mounting Block
Horse shed foundation ruins
Subcategory
Religious facility
Cemetery
Religious facility
Religious facility
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
A. Colonial
B. No Style (3)
C.
D.
Other
Foundation Stone
Roof
Wood shingles
Walls
Stucco
Walls Stone
Other
Other
1. Masonry – stone
2.
Depth feet / 1 room
Stories 1 / Height
Architectural Classification
Exterior Materials
Public – Federal
Object
Code
Code
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – NARRATIVE SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
HRSF 020 / Kennett Meeting House / 488 Meetinghouse LA
89C
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Year Built: ca. 1731
Additions/Alterations Dates: ca. 1800
Basis for Dating: _x_ Documentary ___ Physical
Explain: Building was documented by Univ. of Pennsylvania class in 2001.
Cultural / Ethnic
Affiliation
Associated
Events
Builders
1.
2.
1. Religion
2.
1.
2.
Associated
Individuals
Architects /
Engineers
1.
2.
1.
2.
MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
Futhey, J. Smith and Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts,
1881).
PREVIOUS SURVEY, DETERMINATIONS
Old Kennett Meeting House National Register nomination (listed 7/15/1974)
EVALUATION (Survey Director/Consultants Only)
Individual NR Potential: _x_ Yes ___ No Context(s): Religion, Architecture
Contributes to Potential District ___Yes _x_ No District Name/Status:
Classification: 1 – individually listed on the National Register on 7/15/1974.
THREATS
Threats: _1_
1. None 2. Public Development 3. Private Development 4. Neglect 5. Other
Explain:
SURVEYOR INFORMATION
Surveyor Name / Title
Wise Preservation Planning LLC
Date
Project Name
Kennett Township Historic Resource Survey 2008
Organization
Telephone
Street and No.
1480 Hilltop Road
City, State
Chester Springs PA
Zip Code
Additional Survey Documentation
n/a
Associated Survey Codes
Key # 001561
8/2009
484-202-8187
19425
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – NARRATIVE SHEET 89C
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Twp
Kennett Meeting House
HISTORIC NARRATIVE:
The Kennett Meeting House was constructed in 1731, replacing an earlier meeting house from 1719. It is a
typical example of the Cottage Plan, the most common type of Quaker religious architecture in North
America from 1690 until 1775 (as well as the most common plan of nonconformist architecture during those
same years). It is a class I historic resource listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When
constructed, the men and women sat on the main floor for worship, with the youth in the loft. For business
sessions, boards were laid across the second floor void to produce two separate interior spaces. The men held
their business on the lower floor, and the women held their business session on the upper floor.
In the late 18th century or early 19th century, the interior was re-configured, at which time a vertical partition
was installed. At this time, the entrance was widened to accommodate two doors, and the gallery door on the
rear wall was sealed. The new interior provided a new seating arrangement. The women used the east half of
the building, and the men used the west half of the building (an arrangement common in the Delaware Valley
though reversed from the normal Quaker arrangement). Moveable panels in the partition were opened during
worship but closed to allow the women to conduct their business without interference by the men (and vice
versa).
Attendance at the meeting was weakened by the creation of the Kennett Square Preparative Meeting in the
early 19th century and by the 1827 division, which resulted in the creation of the nearby Orthodox meeting at
Parkersville. By the early 20th century, the monthly meeting came to be centered in the Kennett Square
Meeting House, which later dropped the word “Square” from its name. At that time, the Kennett Meeting
House came to be called “Old Kennett.” The meeting house is used for worship a limited number of times
each year.
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – NARRATIVE SHEET 89C
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Township
Kennett Meeting House
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION (page 1):
This 5-acre property is located near the northeast corner of Kennett Township, on the north side of
East Baltimore Pike. The long, rectangular parcel is lightly wooded except around its perimeter and
the heavily wooded east end of the parcel. The property is the location of the Kennett Friends
Meeting House, its associated burial ground, stone horse shed ruins and mounting block.
Meeting House
The Kennett Friends Meeting House is a rectangular building facing southeast onto Baltimore Pike.
Although it has the exterior appearance of a 1-story, 3-bay building, it in fact has three interior
floors. The building was constructed in 1731, replacing an earlier building on the site. It was built
with its corners pointing in the compass directions (north, south, east, and west), following a
common Quaker method of orientation of the early 18th century. The meeting house is accessed
by a drive off Meetinghouse Lane; the drive runs clockwise in front of the building, then passes
through a gate to a loop within the burial ground before exiting back onto Meetinghouse Lane. Key
features of the meeting house include its sparsely spaced fenestration, its massing, its double
doors on the main (southeast) elevation, and its watertable. The meeting house consists of a larger
rectangular main block with a small hipped roof addition on its southwest elevation.
1. Roof - End-gabled, clad with wood shingles. Molded cornice with returns on the end walls.
The chimneys have been reduced below the roofline.
2. Walls - stucco over stone. Fenestration is symmetrical
a. Southeast (main) elevation has two windows with 3-paneled shutters flanking the
entrance. Two doors are located in the center bay under a wide hood with exposed
rafter tails (the hood apparently dates to the 19th century). The doors are 6-paneled
units that appear to date to the late 19th century. They are hinged onto the same
hinge jamb and open inward against the partition wall dividing the interior into two
spaces. The west door has an 18th century Suffolk latch with arrowhead cusps; the
east door has a decorative 18th century Norfolk latch
b. Northeast elevation faces the burial ground. It has windows on three levels. A single
6x3 window lights the former schoolroom area in the attic; it is located off-center to
the south. The second floor has two square windows sealed with batten shutters held
by strap hinges. The first floor has an off-center and 18th century door opening under
a shed-roofed hood clad with wood shingles. The door is flanked by windows sealed
by 3-paneled shutters held by strap hinges
c. Northwest elevation - the historic "rear" of the building. The only interruption to the
stucco over stone wall surface are two symmetrically placed windows, currently
sealed with 3-paneled shutters
d. Southwest elevation faces onto the property entrance. Two widely separated square
windows on the second floor level are sealed by batten shutters held by strap hinges.
The first floor has an 18th century door slightly north of center, flanked by windows
sealed by 3-paneled shutters
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – NARRATIVE SHEET 89C
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Township
Kennett Meeting House
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION (page 2):
3. Foundation: stone. The foundation protrudes around the entire building, forming the classic
"watertable" found on many early 18th century buildings in Chester County
The addition is located on the southwest end of the core. It consists of an enclosed space in the
north half and an open porch to the south. It is not aligned with the rear elevation of the core. The
addition has a hipped roof clad with wood shingles and featuring exposed rafter tails. The walls of
the enclosed section are stuccoed, with a batten door on the southeast elevation. It has a stone
foundationMinor landscape features associated with the meeting house include a stone wall along
the southwest border of the property and a stone mounting block west of the building. The stone
wall is an elongated E-shaped element that is the foundation of the earlier horse shed. The
mounting block is a stone element west of the building with two steps leading down to grade.
Burial Ground
The burial ground is located east of the meeting house. The burials are not all marked; it appears
that burials to the south and east are less likely to have markers. All markers are limited in size
and mostly made of sandstone. The markers face west.
Stone Horse Shed Ruins: Rubble stone remains of former horse shed just west of Mtg. House.
Mounting Block: Stone horse mounting block with steps just north of Meeting House.
SITE PLAN (numbers in brackets represent camera angles):
Mounting Block
50 feet
3
N
Addition
Stone Horse Shed Ruins
Meetinghouse Lane
6
Meeting House
2
4
5
Baltimore Pike
1
Burial Ground
Iron fence with gate
7
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – PHOTOGRAPH SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Township
Kennett Meeting House
Photo 2. Meeting House,
facing southwest.
Photo 3. Meeting House, rear
elevation, facing southeast.
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – PHOTOGRAPH SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Township
Kennett Meeting House
Photo 4. Meeting House,
facing northeast.
Photo 5. Burial ground, facing
northeast.
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM – PHOTOGRAPH SHEET
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation
Survey Code
County
Address
020
Chester 029
488 Meetinghouse LA
Tax Parcel / Other No.
Municipality
Historic / Other Name
62-2-13
Kennett Township
Kennett Meeting House
Photo 6. Mounting block,
facing northeast.
Photo 7. Stone foundation of
former horse sheds, facing
south.