West St. Mary's Manor

Description

West St. Mary's Manor is a historic house on West St. Mary's Manor Road in rural St. Mary's County, Maryland. It is a rare early Colonial-era house built between 1700 and 1730, and is located on the first recorded English land grant in what is now Maryland. It is an example of a William and Mary-era country house, representing a transition from early one and two-room plans to a more elaborate four-room center-hall plan. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.DescriptionWest St. Mary's Manor is located across the St. Mary's River from St. Mary's City, Maryland, the first capital of the Province of Maryland. It is a 1-1/2 story brick and frame construction. The gable end walls of the 40by house are brick with double chimneys, while the front and rear walls are clapboard. A brick "chimney pent" is situated between the projecting chimneys at both ends. The front elevation, facing south, is five bays wide, while the north elevation is three bays.The interior comprises four rooms about a center hall running through the house. The main rooms are on the south side, with smaller rooms on the north. All of the first floor rooms have wainscoting and fireplaces. The chimney pents serve as closets for the main rooms. The center hall is divided by an arch, with a stair to the rear.HistoryWest St. Mary's Manor originally included 2000acre granted to Captain Henry Fleet in 1634, the earliest grant recorded in Maryland. The house was built between 1700 and 1730, possibly by th