MacPheadris--Warner House - Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Posted by: Groundspeak Charter Member BruceS
N 43° 04.670 W 070° 45.290
19T E 357145 N 4770952
Historic house commonly known as the Warner House, listed as a National Historic Landmark in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Waymark Code: WMENE6
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 06/18/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 2

"The MacPhaedris-Warner House may very well be the finest of all early-Georgian brick houses in New England. Erected 1718-1723 (the oldest brick house in Portsmouth) the Warner House (as it is commonly known) is one of the earliest Wren-type houses in New England, and while perhaps not an elegant house in its elevation, is nevertheless an early use of a plantation house-type plan and an unusual material in a most unexpected setting, directly on the street of a Yankee seaport town.

The MacPhaedris-Warner House is a two-and-a-half storey brick house with 15- inch-thick brick walls laid in Flemish bond. A brick belt course separates the two floors visually, while a modillion cornice adorns the slightly over- hanging eaves line. The main doorway features a segmental pediment in two separate planes, and Corinthian pilasters to either side of the door.

The brick chimneys and the roof are particularly interesting. The former, at the West end, are a pair joined by a parapet wall right up above the roofline. A single stack is at the East end.

The roof of the Warner House was originally a pair of parallel gable roofs with a deep valley between them. This structure, which may yet be seen in the attic of the house, was replaced by the low-pitched gambrel we see today. At the break of the gambrel, the ballustrade was added, and it is thought, at the same time, the cupola.

The plan is the four-room or center-hall type, with three end chimneys and a scullery wing at the North, adjoining the kitchen. The parlor and a small downstairs chamber, located to the right of the central hall, have diagonal corner fireplaces, sharing the single end chimney, which is carried up forth- right ly despite its off-center position and lack of symmetry with the two west end chimneys. The parlor, nearly twenty feet square and with a height of eleven feet, is panelled from floor to ceiling with huge pine boards. Round bolection moldings project the panels out in front of the surface of the stiles and rails, and the fireplace is faced with Dutch tiles.

The center hall is divided by an elliptical arch resting on projecting pilasters, The stairway displays an early-Georgian simplicity, with square newels and plain block step-ends. , The contour of the ballustrade is echoed by the panelled dado on the wall.

The six murals in the hall and stair landing are quite unusual. The life-sized Indians flanking the arched window at the landing have always been exposed to view, but the other four paintings were only uncovered about 1850 under layers of wallpaper.

Throughout the house the original brass hardware remains in place. Maintained in excellent condition and open regularly to visitors, many of the colonial furnishings of the house are on loan from a number of first-rate collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City." - National Register Nomination Form

The house is now operated as a museum open to the public from mid-June to mid-October.  More information about tour is available at the home's website.

Street address:
Chapel and Daniel Sts.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire


County / Borough / Parish: Rockingham

Year listed: 1966

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering

Periods of significance: 1700-1749

Historic function: Domestic

Current function: Recreation And Culture

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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