The Discovery and Excavations of the 17th Century Structures at Eyreville (44NH0507) on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Archaeological Research of the 17th Century Chesapeake" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

VDHR staff was informed of early colonial artifacts recovered at Eyreville Farm, in Northampton County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, in February of 2017. Documents available at the Northampton courthouse indicate that John Howe built a house there sometime after 1623. Colonel William Kendall, a wealthy merchant and the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, purchased the property in 1657 and likely built a more substantial house shortly thereafter. Kendall also built a new house at the site in 1682. A comprehensive 1698 inventory of Kendall’s property describes the buildings and contents in detail. The extant house on the property was built in 1799. Eyreville has been continuously occupied since the time Howe built his house. Ongoing excavations have thus far uncovered multiple 17th century houses and outbuildings including two post-in-ground structures, two large brick foundations, a well, and a complete Dutch brick feature of uncertain purpose.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeological Research of the 17th Century Chesapeake   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 462