Cellar Hole Survey Newsletter #13
A Double Rescue
The Question
What could we learn from a cellar hole completely filled in on purpose?
History
Our exploration today is in the territory of the southern Canterbury Clough Pond clan. Here, around 1750, in a vote at town meeting, the 6th agenda item created a Committee to correct a mistake in the layout of the original 100 acre lots, “to search the Proprietors Books etc: to find an omission of the Returns of Sundry Lots of Land……” and then described what is shown on old plans of the town as the “Jeremiah Clough Esq Purchase”. And is described in the layout as “The Hackleborough Intervale”, meaning flat, fertile land such as the intervale along the Merrimack river. This cellar hole appears to be in a part of this intervale. Sometimes referred to as “Hacket Borrow” or “Hackle Barrow Intervall”.
Our First View
While we knew ahead of time the cellar hole had been filled in as a safety precaution, still, our first view of the site was disappointing. Where was the cellar hole? But moving closer, the assurance of the landowners that they had preserved the stones and bricks that defined the foundation was confirmed. We noticed a small swampy area seen at the far end in the photo, an otherwise level site. We began our documentation.
The Site Speaks
The remains of the original cut stone sills outlined the root cellar portion of the foundation. The one in the photo is unusually long: 9 feet. A large, flat stone appeared to be the front door step (not photographed). The mound of broken brick fragments denoted the fireplace ruin. And broken lines of flat stones demarcated the crawlspace portion of the house. Overall, an irregular rectangle of 20 feet by 36 feet. In our experience, a small house.
What Else?
A water supply well within the usual 20 feet from the house, obviously filled in with a confusion of grapefruit-sized field stones. Two lines of large field stones nearby at right angles are probably the remnants of a livestock enclosure, and maybe a small shed.
Our Conclusion
This is a typical site layout of simple, tenant housing. Further supported by the 1858 historical F.A. Walling County Map noting the same family name on the “big farmstead” to the north as on this location.
We are grateful that the current owners had carefully preserved much diagnostic evidence of the site even as they filled in the root cellar. In effect, rescuing it for documenters of history such as our team.
And a Bonus
In their careful attention to the remains of this homestead, the owners discovered and rescued a white clay tobacco pipe, rarely this well-preserved, and very typical of the Colonial Era.
We will return next month with a report on the merging of two families by both marriage and homesteading, as the two large house foundations are only 20 feet apart.
In the meantime, we invite reviews and questions be sent to cellarholesurveys@gmail.com.
Bill Adams for the Cellar Hole Committee of the Canterbury Historical Society.