e English method. Four brick kilns were discovered on
Jamestown Island during archeological explorations.
[Illustration: AN EARLY JAMESTOWN HOUSE. (Conjectural sketch by Sidney
E. King.)]
[Illustration: A BRICK HOUSE AT JAMESTOWN, ABOUT 1640. (Conjectural
sketch by Sidney E. King.)]
[Illustration: THE MAJORITY OF THE LOCKS AND KEYS USED IN THE EARLY
HOUSES WERE IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND.]
[Illustration: A FEW 17TH-CENTURY HANDWROUGHT HINGES IN THE JAMESTOWN
COLLECTION.]
BUILDING HARDWARE
While some of the handwrought hardware found at Jamestown was made in
the colony, most of it was imported from England. Types of building
hardware unearthed include an excellent assortment of nails, spikes,
staples, locks, keys, hinges, pintles, shutter fasteners, bolts, hasps,
latches, door knockers, door pulls, footscrapers, gutter supports, wall
anchors, and ornamental hardware. In many instances each type is
represented by several varieties. Citing 2 examples, there are more
than 20 kinds of nails and at least 15 different kinds of hinges in
the collection.
[Illustration: SOME NAILS, SPIKES, STAPLES, AND OTHER IRON HARDWARE USED
AT JAMESTOWN OVER 300 YEARS AGO.]
[Illustration: SOME JAMESTOWN HOUSES HAD LEADED GLAZED WROUGHT-IRON
WINDOW CASEMENTS SIMILAR TO THE ONES SHOWN HERE. (Courtesy, The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.)]
It is believed that wooden hardware was used on many of the early
houses.
WINDOWS
A few glass window panes may have been made in the Jamestown glass
factory which was built in 1608. Most of the window glass used in the
colony, however, was shipped from England. Many of the early panes used
were diamond-shaped (known as "quarrels"), and were held in place by
means of slotted lead strips (known as "cames"). The window frames used
in a few of the Jamestown houses were handwrought iron casements. Most
of the humbler dwellings had no glass panes in the windows. The window
openings were closed by batten shutters, operated by hinges of wood and
fitted with wooden fastening devices.
WALL AND FIREPLACE TILE
Most of the hand-painted tiles used at Jamestown (for decorating walls
and fireplaces) were imported from Holland. A few were made in England.
Made of a light-buff clay, and known as delftware, the tiles unearthed
are decorated in blue, with a conventionalized design in each corner and
a central picture or motif. Covered with a tin glaze, the majority of
tiles found measure abou
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