London Town Publik House
Encyclopedia
The William Brown House, also known as London Town Publik House or Londontowne Public House, is a former Colonial era tavern located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
. It was built between 1758 and 1764 by William Brown. From 1828 to 1965 the structure was used as a county alms house.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1970.
It is located northeast of the Woodland Beach community in Edgewater, MD, at the end of Londontown Road on the south bank of South River
, about four miles from Annapolis. Woodland Beach is now also known locally as Londontowne
.
, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Annapolis, Maryland
on the main road from Williamsburg, Virginia
to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. The South River was crossed at that point by a ferry, owned by Brown. It was part of a community of about 100 lots, of which it is one of two survivors. The house was an extravagance for Brown, and his debts eventually caused him to convey the house and property to the estate of James Dick, who had lent Brown the money for the house and lots. The house was acquired by Anne Arundel County for use as a poorhouse in 1828. It is presently a museum, operated by the Anne Arundel parks authority.
The interior features a wide living hall extending from front to back, intersected at its midpoint by smaller side halls leading to doors in the ends of the house. The rear (north) portion of the hall contains a fireplace and was used as a living space, while the front portion contains the stairs. Four equal-sized rooms are located in the corners formed by the hall arrangement. There are doors in each of the four elevations.
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
. It was built between 1758 and 1764 by William Brown. From 1828 to 1965 the structure was used as a county alms house.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1970.
It is located northeast of the Woodland Beach community in Edgewater, MD, at the end of Londontown Road on the south bank of South River
South River
-In the United States:*Delaware River, referred to as the South River in colonial times*Georgia**South River **South River *Iowa**South River , a tributary of the Des Moines River*Maryland...
, about four miles from Annapolis. Woodland Beach is now also known locally as Londontowne
Londontowne, Maryland
Londontowne is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,595 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
History
The London Town Publik House was built by William Brown on the south bank of the South RiverSouth River (Maryland)
The South River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in the United States.The South River is located south of the Severn River, east of the Patuxent River, and north of the West River and Rhode River, and drains to the Chesapeake Bay.It has a watershed area of ,...
, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
on the main road from Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. The South River was crossed at that point by a ferry, owned by Brown. It was part of a community of about 100 lots, of which it is one of two survivors. The house was an extravagance for Brown, and his debts eventually caused him to convey the house and property to the estate of James Dick, who had lent Brown the money for the house and lots. The house was acquired by Anne Arundel County for use as a poorhouse in 1828. It is presently a museum, operated by the Anne Arundel parks authority.
Description
The London Town Publik House is a two story brick structure with an elevated basement, seven bays wide and three deep. The hipped roof is cut off to form a deck or terrace with a massive chimney at each end. Windows in the front (south} facade are topped by brick flat arches, while windows in the rear and ends have segmental arches. Windows are nine-over-nine sashes at the first floor and nine-over-six at the second floor. A three-bay-wide pedimented pavilion projects from the center of the main facade, containing the main entrance and approached by a flight of brick and stone steps. The house is unique in its use of all-header-bond on all four sides.The interior features a wide living hall extending from front to back, intersected at its midpoint by smaller side halls leading to doors in the ends of the house. The rear (north) portion of the hall contains a fireplace and was used as a living space, while the front portion contains the stairs. Four equal-sized rooms are located in the corners formed by the hall arrangement. There are doors in each of the four elevations.
See also
- Upton Scott HouseUpton Scott HouseThe Upton Scott House is a historic home at 4 Shipwright Street in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It is a -story, rectangular brick house. The interior is lavish, and the house has sustained only minor alterations in the 20th century. The house was built for Dr...
in Annapolis, also built by Brown, which closely resembles the Brown house
External links
- William Brown House, Historic London Town
- London Town Publik House, Anne Arundel County, including photo in 1970, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Almshouse at London Town, London Town Road, South River vicinity, Anne Arundel County, MD: 10 photos, 2 data pages, at Historic American Building Survey