Mansion Grounds of James Madison, Sr., 1760-1801

Map showing possible division of space in the 18th century landscape (green show work areas, red shows formal area).
[Click picture for larger image.]

Archaeological investigations have hinted at two very different uses of space during James Madison, Sr.’s, time and that of his son, James Madison, Jr.  During Sr.’s time, there were three distinct areas in the yard: 1) the work area associated with the blacksmith complex, that was also used as a staging area for the construction of the 1797 addition (northern area); 2) the formal domestic complex of the Madison family, that included the mansion (central area); and 3) the service complex, that included the detached kitchen, slave quarters, and garden (southern area).  Such a division of space is a prime example of Georgian yard layout, perfectly consistent with Madison Sr.’s construction of a large Georgian mansion.

The Landscape Walls

Archaeological investigations of the brick landscape walls found evidence for wall foundations, architectural deposits north of the northern landscape wall, and a trash midden found to the north of the northern landscape wall.

The Brick Walls

Archaeologists found evidence for brick walls that likely served as landscape dividers during the 18th century.  The first wall was located to the north of the mansion and, based on archaeological deposits found in association with the brick foundation, dates to the 1760s.  The second wall was located to the south of the mansion and, based on its symmetry with the 1797 mansion, dates to after the 1797 addition.  

Diagram to show the changes in configuration of the landscape walls between the 1765 and 1797 periods.
[Rollover image to see changes.]

Artifacts found around the brick wall, north of the mansion, tell us how these walls were used to divide space. In excavations north of the wall, a high concentration of architectural debris was found relating to the construction of the 1797 addition. Under this debris was a trash deposit (midden) containing domestic debris related to the Madison household. South of the wall, very little trash was found — mostly brick from the demolition of the wall sometime in the 1810s.

This artifact distribution (trash to the north of the wall and a clean swept surface to the south) suggests that the wall served as a divider between the work space (including a trash midden) to the north of the mansion and the more formal living space of the Madison family. 

Further testing of the areas around this wall and the wall to the south of the mansion await future research.

Architectural Deposits North of the Northern Landscape Wall

Compass bricks removed from deposit to the north of northern mansion wall.

The architectural deposits here consisted of brick fragments, tan limestone mortar associated with the 1760 core of the mansion, wrought nails, and limestone. This architectural deposit indicates a staging area for the 1797 addition that was located to the north of the brick wall. Of particular note is the presence of several sizes of "compass bricks" that lacked mortar adhesions. These compass bricks are likely associated with the construction of the portico in 1797. Given the lack of mortar, these bricks were probably discarded due to breakage during construction, or represent rejects from the brick clamps.

The large chunks of limestone were possibly removed from the slaked quicklime (slaking is the process of taking burned limestone – quicklime – and adding water to form a paste that serves as the base for producing mortar). burned lime would have been brought up from the lime kiln and screened prior to slaking. Larger, unburned limestone chunks would have been removed and discarded. The broken brick and associated tan limestone mortar are probably associated with the demolition of portions of the 1760 wall in preparation for the 1797 addition.

Profile of northern wall showing trash deposits (red/blue) sealed by building debris and in turned sealed by 19th-century landscaping fill (green).
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Trash Midden to the North of the Northern Landscape Wall

Below the architectural deposit associated with the 1797 addition was a dense trash midden containing large fragments of Chinese-export dishes, edge-decorated plates, and hand-painted earthenwares. All of these ceramics date to the late 18th century and have a mean ceramic date of 1795. Comparisons of these ceramics with contemporaneous deposits in the South Yard – where ceramics are likely associated with enslaved domestics – reveal a marked contrast. The Madison midden contains a high concentration of porcelains and early transfer-printed vessels, whereas the South Yard midden does not. This difference suggests that the deposit is likely associated with the Madison's table rather than with enslaved domestics. In addition, the dates of ceramics, combined with the dates of the architectural deposits, suggest that the deposit is likely associated with James Madison, Sr.'s. household rather than James Madison, Jr's.

Porcelain dishes recovered from the trash deposit to the north of the brick northern landscape wall.