"Raynham Hall"

 residence, place with historical importance, farmhouse, LIGC - Long Island Gold Coast, interesting place

Raynham Hall was built circa 1738 as a two-story frame house with central brick chimney, gable roof, flush siding of wide boards and a five-bay façade with an entrance in the middle. The house contained four rooms, two on each level, with a garret or attic under the roof. The first floor consisted of a "hall" and "parlor" that flanked a narrow passage with a winding staircase built in front of the chimney. On the second floor were two "chambers" that corresponded to the hall and parlor below. Fireplaces opened into all four rooms from the central chimney.

"Raynham Hall" stood on a pie-shaped six-acre plot of land that stretched to Oyster Bay Harbor, located behind the house. On the opposite side of West Main Street was an apple orchard belonging to the Townsends. During the nineteenth century, the family sold off much of their property to relatives and neighbors, but retained enough land for an elegant garden on the west side of the house.

Around 1740, Samuel Townsend, who had purchased the property several years earlier, built a lean-to section on the north side, or rear, of the house. The addition, which increased the number of rooms to eight, included a kitchen and storage room on the first level and chambers above. The shed roof of the lean-to section extended the rear slope of the main gable roof, creating the distinctive "saltbox" outline.

It was at "Raynham Hall" that Sally Townsend overheard a conversation between Colonel Simcoe and Major John Andre that led to disclosure of the Andre-Benedict Arnold plot to surrender West Point. Later alterations were made by Edward H. Thorne for the Townsend family.

"Raynham Hall" is administered by the Friends of Raynham Hall, and owned and maintained by the Town of Oyster Bay.

www.raynhamhallmuseum.org/default.asp
archive.org/details/manorhouseshisto00eber/page/148/mod...