Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18ST330 St. Inigoes Manor House
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
The Chapel Site (18ST330) comprises Late Archaic to Late Woodland short-term or intermittent camps, and an early- to mid-18th century Jesuit house and chapel. It is located in the western portion of the Webster Field Annex Patuxent River Naval Station, at the Naval Electronics Systems Engineering Activity (NESEA). The northern portion of the site is bisected by a local road, and it is bordered by base facilities and a runway to the east, west, and south. Soils are primarily well-drained sandy loam that supports its currently active no-till cultivation.
The NESEA facility is located on the large land tract historically known as St. Inigoes Manor, although occupation at the site dates to the prehistoric period. The 2000-acre Manor had served as a plantation and as a mission operated by the Society of Jesus of the Catholic Church (Jesuits) for more than 300 years. The area known as the Old Chapel Field appears to have served as the main activity area of the Manor from as early as ca. 1638 until the mid-18th century. At least 10 archeological sites, dating from as early as the prehistoric period, have been identified in the Old Chapel Field. From ca. 1755 until the Navy’s acquisition of the property in 1942, the area known as Priest’s Point (located to the southwest) served as the main area of activity.
St. Inigoes Manor was patented in 1634, the same year that the Maryland colony was established, to Richard Gerard. In 1637, Gerard sold his property to Father Thomas Copley of the Society of Jesus. By 1638, the manor had a main residence known as St. Inigoes House, a storehouse, a tobacco barn, and other structures. Throughout the rest of the 17th century, the manor consisted of a semi-autonomous plantation with gardens, orchards, stables, barns, a store, a grist mill, and blacksmith shop, with hundreds of acres of cultivated land producing tobacco and grain. It is maintained that in 1705 the brick Catholic Church located in St. Mary’s City was dismantled and the brick was reused to build a new Priest’s house at St. Inigoes. Another, possibly third, St. Inigoes Manor house appears to have been built at Priest’s Point ca. 1755. That the Old Chapel Field Manor house was dismantled and moved to Priest’s Point in the middle of the 18th century is supported by archeological and historical evidence.
Beginning in 1806, new structures were built on the manor property including a brick barn, a weaver’s house, a windmill, a miller’s house, cow and hen houses, workshops, and slave quarters. A destructive raid was carried by the British in 1814; the dwellings were looted, foodstuffs were confiscated, and the chapel was desecrated but the Priest’s House and all the other structures were spared from being burned, allowing the mission to recover and continue to prosper. In 1872, a fire gutted the brick Priest’s House. The east wing was rebuilt into a smaller dwelling. In 1876, a 4-story “Villa House” was built nearby to house mission students. In 1919, the priest’s residence was transferred from St. Inigoes to St. Michael’s. Operations continued on a smaller scale with tenants continuing to occupy various farms located on the property. In 1942 when the US Navy acquired the north 773 acres of manor land, the Villa house and all the Jesuit buildings were removed.
In the 1930’s priests and scholastics from the area carried out excavations in the Old Chapel Field. They uncovered a brick foundation about 3.65 m (12’) long and 2 bricks wide. A second foundation was revealed across an old road (now Villa Road) that was more substantial than the first. It was suggested that the unearthed portion of this foundation represented a transept for a reputed cross-shaped chapel. A local informant who had been a tenant farmer at the manor indicated that a small foundation had been attached to the north end of this larger structure. If so, it may have been a small chapel attached to the dwelling. In 1705, only residential Catholic chapels were permitted under the law. A third foundation measuring 7.62 m X 12.19 m (25’X40’) was also uncovered. A former slave on the farm indicated where a 7.62 m long brick wall that was “part of the old Catholic Chapel” had stood. He also pointed out the location of a cemetery. Archeological investigations conducted at the site in 1981 resulted in the discovery of a large colonial period (early- to mid-18th century) habitation site, designated as 18ST330, on the south side of Villa Road. This structure was tentatively identified as the ca. 1705 Priest’s House and thought to be the site of the more substantial foundation discovered in the 1930’s.
A Phase I/II survey was conducted in 1981 by the St. Mary’s City Summer Field School in Archeology, under the supervision of the Southern Maryland Regional Center. No final report was produced. However, in 1996, an additional study of the site was conducted in order to guide future management decisions at NESEA. During the background research phase of the 1996 work, a synopsis of the 1981 survey was written from field notes, catalog sheets, and site forms. This synopsis is presented here. No additional work was conducted at 18ST330 during the 1996 study.
Site 18ST330 was located in the northwest portion of Tract 44 and extended well into adjoining Tract 52. Tract 44 was collected using the standard 20 m collection blocks employed in the 1981 survey methodology. However, portions of the northern end of the tract were divided into 10 m collection squares. In most cases, only the diagnostic artifacts were retained, although all artifacts were inventoried. Items noted in the field but no always retained included fire-cracked rock, flakes, cores, oyster shell, nails, and bricks. The prehistoric material tended to concentrate in the eastern 100 m of the tract while the historic material tended to cluster in the northern 100 m of the tract. Approximately 10 shovel test pits were excavated at 2 m intervals where a large amount of brick and shell were visible on the surface. A 1 m² test unit was dug in the northernmost portion of the tract. The entire bottom of the unit was comprised of ash and charcoal and had numerous oyster shell and brick fragment inclusions. The vertical nature of the material indicated a rapid deposition episode. The feature was not excavated.
The artifacts collected during the 1981 excavation at 18ST330 were not included in the Appendix D artifact inventory within the 1996 original report. The totals below derive from the provided synopsis. They are artifacts collected from the 1981 surface survey, the STPs, and from the unit plowzone. These artifact totals are combined with the 1984 survey totals in the table above.
The 33 prehistoric artifacts recovered during the 1981 Phase I/II include 6 biface fragments, 1 Bare Island point (Late Archaic/Early Woodland), 1 possible Rossville point, 1 Madison point (Late Woodland), and 20 pieces of debitage (minimum estimate). There were 2 ground stone objects (ax fragments) and 1 steatite bowl fragment with a drilled suspension hole. There was a sherd of Early Woodland Accokeek pottery.
A total of 697 historic artifacts were collected during the 1981 Phase I/II. There were 89 architectural items including 20 brick fragments (minimum estimate), and 69 wrought nails (minimum estimate). The 508 kitchen-related items included 99 colonial glass fragments (probably bottle glass), 24 colonial bottle glass fragments, 2 Rhenish brown, 2 Rhenish blue and gray, 10 unidentified Rhenish (minimum estimate), 13 English brown stoneware (minimum estimate), 12 white salt-glazed stoneware (minimum estimate), 13 Staffordshire slipware (minimum estimate), 1 North Devon gravel-tempered, 1 North Devon sgraffito, 10 unidentified North Devon (minimum estimate), 25 Buckley (minimum estimate), 14 Buckley-like, 14 tin-glazed earthenware (minimum estimate), 24 unidentified lead-glazed earthenware, 5 unglazed earthenware, 10 agateware (minimum estimate), 10 porcelain (minimum estimate), 92 unidentified ceramic sherds, and 127 animal bone fragments. There was 1 personal item (a brass spur). There were 93 tobacco items (white clay pipe fragments). Arms-related items include 6 pieces of gunflint.
Phase I/II archeological investigations were undertaken in the winter of 1984 ahead of the installation of utility lines and of an “EVM Test Facility” at NESEA. Intensive survey was conducted in two separate areas at the facility, the Old Chapel Field and Langley Hollow, in order to assess the possible impact on cultural resources as a consequence of that construction. 18ST330 is located within the Old Chapel Field portion of the project area; therefore, the results of investigation at Langley Hollow are not discussed here.
In the Old Chapel Field, a total of 207 shovel test pits (STPs) located within 7 transects were excavated. The transects were placed parallel to and on both sides of Villa Road. On the south side of the road STPs were dug at 6.09 m intervals 152.4 m (500’) long. On the north side of the road STPs were dug at 3.048 m or 6.09 m intervals 67 m (220’) or 164.5 m (540’) long. These transects encompass the northern boundary of site 18ST330. Two additional transects (H and I) were excavated at 9.14 m and 15.24 m north of and parallel to Villa Road, between the road and Tract 75 (further west up the road) at the location of nearby site 18ST234.
Tracts 44 and 47 were surface collected for artifacts. Tract 44 was located south of Villa Road and corresponded with a much larger area collected in 1981 that was identified as 18ST330. The tract was divided into 305 collection blocks that were 3 m². Tract 74 was located north of Villa Road and consisted of 195 collection blocks that were 3 m². The eastern section of Tract 74 encompassed 18ST330.
Three test units were excavated in areas where intact subsurface remains were encountered during the shovel testing, and within the bounds of the site. As the goal of excavating the test units was to determine the extent of the subsurface features, the overlying soil was not screened but artifacts were collected when encountered. Test unit #1 consisted of 3 contiguous units that formed a 1.524 m X 4.57 m (5’ x15’) trench running parallel to and north of Villa Road. A brick floor was encountered that measured approximately 3.048 m². The exposed edges showed signs of disturbance, partially from the construction of a utility trench. The size of the floor indicates that this may have been an outbuilding such as a dairy or a smokehouse. Test unit #2 was 1.524 m² unit located west of test unit 1. A pit feature filled with large quantities of architectural and domestic debris was encountered. It was suggested that this could have been a filled structural feature such as a cellar. Test unit #3, a 1 m² unit, was placed south of the road where a large 12.19 m X 6.09 m soil discoloration was noted in 1981. An artifact and rubble-filled feature was found. Given its correspondence with the large soil discoloration, it was interpreted to be a cellar hole.
During the 1984 survey, brick, mortar, and oyster shell were either counted or not counted but weighed (in grams). Therefore, counts of those artifact types should be considered minimum estimates. The shell is cataloged with the historic artifacts because that period at the site had the densest occupation. Artifact totals are derived from a table in the text and from Appendix A.
A total of 3,536 historic period artifacts was collected. There were 3 activity items (1 copper thumb tack, 1 piece of non-electrical wire, and 1 auto part). There were 1,371 architectural items (693 brick fragments, 4 pieces of mortar, 40 fragments of window glass, 1 lead window came piece, 2 iron bolts, 1 iron hinge, 365 wrought nails, 2 cut nails, 4 wire nails, and 259 unidentified nails). There was 1 furniture item (1 brass tack). There were 1,940 kitchen-related items (171 bottle glass fragments, 3 table glass fragments, 36 Rhenish, 17 brown salt-glazed stoneware, 3 Nottingham brown, 16 white salt-glazed stoneware, 6 porcelain, 17 tin-glazed earthenware, 50 Staffordshire, 75 Buckley, 54 Buckley-like, 2 North Devonshire gravel tempered, 5 fine-bodied red earthenware, 126 undiagnostic earthenware, 1,255 oyster shells, and 104 animal bone fragments). There were 4 miscellaneous items (1 iron buckle, 1 unidentified copper object, 1 piece of wood, and 1 piece of asphalt).The iron buckle could be from clothing or from a harness. There were 4 personal items (1 Elizabeth I coin dated 1596, 2 copper alloy Jesuit medals, 1 brass spur). There were 214 tobacco items (213 white clay pipe fragments, and 1 terra cotta pipe fragment). Arms-related items consisted of 3 pieces of gunflint.
A total of 203 prehistoric objects were collected from 18ST330. There were 165 pieces of debitage (158 flakes and 7 cores). There were 22 chipped stone tools (6 bifaces, 3 scrapers, 1 Holmes point (Late Archaic), 2 Madison points, and 10 unidentified points). There were 3 ground stone objects (fragments of axes). The 2 ‘other lithic’ items were a piece of steatite and a quartz cobble. There were 11 pottery sherds (3 gravel-tempered and cord marked, 2 Accokeek, 3 sand-tempered undecorated, and 3 unidentified sherds).
In 2012 and 2013, a Phase I/II survey was conducted on the site. Excavation at Site 18ST330 began with a systematic shovel test survey along the south side of Villa Road to delineate artifact deposits. A cruciform pattern of shovel tests was implemented to cover the most area and to narrow down the location of significant cultural deposits. Once the broad boundary of the site was determined, additional transects of shovel tests were placed in the site area, filling out a grid. All the shovel tests excavated during the survey were placed at 3-meter (10-foot) intervals along transects and typically 6-meter (20-foot) spacing between transects.
In all, 276 tests were excavated at Site 18ST330. One hundred seventy-nine shovel tests were positive, producing 2,715 historic artifacts and 64 prehistoric artifacts. The majority of the cultural material was recovered from the north-central portion of the site. A second cruciform pattern of shovel tests was excavated near Buildings 8188 and 8189. This western portion of the site had been surface collected by Smolek (1981) and found to have moderate densities of historic and prehistoric artifacts. All of the shovel tests excavated during the present investigation in this area were negative.
The majority of the historic artifacts recovered from the shovel test excavation date to the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Diagnostic ceramics recovered from the shovel test survey included sherds of Delftware, Staffordshire, Manganese Mottled, North Devon, Astbury, Rhenish stoneware, and English Brown Stoneware. A large quantity of utilitarian, lead-glazed redware sherds were also recovered from the shovel testing. A small amount of nineteenth-century material was also recovered, including a piece of hard-paste porcelain and two sherds of whiteware. In addition to the historic ceramics, a large quantity of bottle and vessel glass was found during the shovel testing. Although varying quantities of historic ceramics and glass were found across the site, the highest concentration was recovered from shovel tests excavated in the north-central portion of the site, just south of Villa Road.
Seven test units were excavated across the core of the site, placed in locations where shovel testing had encountered anomalous soils (potential features), where architectural artifacts were clustered, and where there were particularly high concentrations of historic artifacts. The test units were a mixture of 1.5x1.5-meter (5x5-foot) units and 0.9x0.9-meter (3x3-foot) units. Four features were identified during the excavation. Two of the features were associated with buried utility lines that crossed the site. The other two features (Features 2 and 4) were associated with the mid-seventeenth- to early eighteenth-century occupation of the site by members of the Society of Jesus.
In Test Unit 1, twenty-two historic and six prehistoric artifacts were recovered, all from plowzone contexts. The prehistoric artifacts from Test Unit 1 included a three quartz flake, a chert flake, and two sherds of Popes Creek pottery. The historic collection from Unit 1 included several pieces of architectural material, among them three machine-cut nails, four heavily corroded unidentified nails, and two pieces of window glass. More than 45 grams of brick were also recovered from the unit, of which a sample of six pieces was retained. Other historic artifacts from Test Unit 1 included three pieces of lead-glazed redware, two unglazed pieces of earthenware, and two pipe stem fragments. Forty-four grams of oyster shell were also identified during the excavation.
A dense concentration of oyster shell and brick was identified during the excavation of Shovel Tests C-2 and C-3. Two adjacent test units (Test Units 2 and 5) were placed in the location to investigate whether the concentration was associated with a buried structural feature or midden. A substantial late seventeenth- to early eighteenth-century kitchen midden (Feature 2) was identified following the removal of the modern plowzone. Feature 2 appears to be irregularly shaped, measuring approximately 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length and about 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide. The entire feature is only 15 centimeters (6 inches) thick with sloping sides and a roughly flat bottom. During the excavation of Feature 2, a modern utility trench (Feature 3) was identified as cutting through eastern edge of Feature 2.
Over 2,900 artifacts were recovered from Feature 2, and 56 percent of this collection consisted of faunal specimens. The majority of the faunal material (n=907) was too fragmented for identification. The material that could be classified (n=394) included small to large mammal, cow, pig, goat, white-tailed deer, fish, bird, and crab. In addition to the faunal material, over 5,000 pieces of oyster shell (78.05 kilograms) were recovered from Feature 2. All the oyster shell was weighed on-site with a small sample retained for future analysis. In addition to the floral and faunal collection, the midden feature contained a large quantity of architectural material. Nearly 400 brick fragments (17.9 kilograms) were recovered during the excavation of Feature 2. The recovered bricks were counted and weighed and a representative sample of 13, largely intact, bricks were retained for processing. Four hundred ninety-seven nails were also recovered, with 85 percent of them identified as handwrought. Additionally, 17 handwrought spikes and two handwrought tacks were found. Twenty-nine nails were too heavily corroded for type identification. Forty-five other corroded nails could not be positively identified by type (i.e., possible machine-cut or hand-wrought). Seventy-three pieces of mortar were also recovered, of which a sample of 12 pieces was retained.
Three hundred ninety-three white clay tobacco pipe fragments were recovered from the kitchen midden. Glassware was the most predominant domestic artifact type recovered, with 111 sherds recovered, the majority olive wine bottle glass. One hundred two historic ceramics were recovered from the kitchen midden. The remainder of the collection from the kitchen midden included a variety of miscellaneous items, including 10 pieces of charcoal, four very small unidentifiable pieces of glass, and 68 fragments of heavily corroded iron. Two of the pieces of rusted metal appeared to be parts of a fork or some other utensil. A pewter utensil handle and an iron belt buckle were also recovered from the feature. One artifact of note from the midden assemblage was a fleur-de-lis button. The button was made of pewter; a similar button has been identified at the eighteenth-century Daniel’s Homestead in Connecticut. During the flotation analysis several other inorganic items were also recovered, including several pieces of a single brass straight pin and a stamped copper button. Nine prehistoric artifacts were also recovered from Feature 2.
In Test Unit 3, five historic artifacts were recovered, including a piece of English Brown stoneware, two pieces of liquor/bottle glass, two white clay tobacco pipe stems, and a sherd of window glass. In addition, two prehistoric artifacts were recovered from Test Unit 3. No features were identified during the excavation of Test Unit 3.
A deep feature was encountered during the excavation of Shovel Tests on the far eastern side of the site, adjacent to Villa Road. Soils in the shovel test contained fragments of shell and brick in higher quantities than were noted in other shovel tests, and cultural materials were present to a depth of more than 1 meter. Since the shovel test could not be excavated to sterile subsoil, one test unit (Test Unit 4) was placed to further explore the feature. The excavation of Test Unit 4 resulted in the identification of an early eighteenth-century cellar hole (Feature 4). Four radial shovel tests were also placed at 3-meter (10-foot) intervals north, south, east, and west, all of which encountered the same deep fill deposit, suggesting that the cellar hole measured at least 6.1x6.1 meters (20 square feet). The base of the cellar was not reached during the excavation of Test Unit 4. Because of safety concerns, excavation ended once the unit reached 1.8 meters (6.0 feet) bgs. The last stratum excavated, Stratum G, consisted of 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) of light yellowish brown sandy loam mixed with reddish yellow sandy clay. The artifact assemblage from Stratum G was identical to the overlying stratum, consisting of mostly seventeenth and early eighteenth-century artifacts.
Several pieces of lamp chimney glass were also recovered from this stratum, indicating a TPQ of 1783. A total of 888 historic artifacts were recovered from Feature 4. The majority of the assemblage (N=476; 53 percent) was glass. Most of the glass recovered was olive wine bottle fragments (N=359). The remaining glass assemblage was bottle/container glass in a variety of colors, including both clear and emerald. Architectural items composed the second most numerous artifact type recovered from Feature 4.
A total of 110 nails were recovered, with 49 of them identified as handwrought. A sample of 20 bricks was retained, including 12 pieces that are glazed. The remaining architectural material from the feature included window glass (N=2), mortar fragments (N=9), architectural stone (N=10), and unidentified metal (N=38). Only 34 historic ceramics were recovered from Feature 4, representing 4 percent of the feature assemblage. Of that number, 18 ceramics were identified as lead-glazed redware. The remaining 16 artifacts included one piece of Staffordshire slipware, five fragments of Manganese Mottled ware, and 10 Buckley potsherds (ca. 1720-1775). The historic ceramics provide some of the only chronologic information on the feature. Using the ceramic ware with known date ranges, the feature has a mean ceramic date of 1741; this suggests a date of use in the first half of the eighteenth century. A small assemblage of faunal material was also recovered from Feature 4, of which 39 fragments could be identified as mammal bone. The remainder of the collection from Feature 4 consisted of 26 white clay tobacco pipe pieces, two of which were classified as pipe bowls and the remaining 24 as stem fragments. Twenty-six pieces of charcoal were also recovered as well as 38 pieces of heavily corroded iron fragments. Finally, 14 pieces of lamp chimney glass were recovered from Feature 4. A handful of prehistoric artifacts were also among the collection: one quartzite, two chert, and five quartz flakes were recovered from the cellar fill.
No features were identified during the excavation of either Test Unit 6 or 7. Sixty-nine artifacts were recovered from the upper, modern plowzone (Stratum A). They consisted of the typical assortment of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century artifacts recovered elsewhere on the site. In addition, 1.7 kilograms of brick and 1.0 kilogram of oyster shell were recovered from modern plowzone. The historic plowzone (Stratum B) contained more than twice the amount of artifacts found in the overlying modern plowzone. One hundred forty-six artifacts were recovered from Stratum B, the majority of which were architectural in nature (Table 11). Likewise, the quantity of brick (3.6 kilograms) and oyster shell (2.85 kilograms) present in the historic plowzone was over twice that found in Stratum A. Aside from the difference in quantity of material present in Stratum B, the types of artifacts recovered from both the historic and modern plowzone are identical. Given the similarities between the two strata, it appears the soil comprising the more modern plowzone was likely deposited in this location, perhaps as a result of the construction of Villa Road or general leveling of the field.
Based on the historic background associated with the Jesuit occupation of the property as well as artifact analysis from the Phase II excavation, Site 18ST330 is likely associated with the second St. Inigoes Priest’s House and Chapel. Both the house and chapel were constructed by the Society of Jesus mission established on the Old Chapel Field around 1705 and were occupied over the next 50 years until they were dismantled in 1755.
As a result of the excavation, the remains of the cellar (Feature 4) associated with the second St. Inigoes priests’ house and chapel was identified. Other portions of the same structure may have been identified by Jesuit priests in the 1930s, and part of the same building complex were excavated by archaeologists in the 1980s. Results from those excavations as well as the analysis of the material recovered during the current investigation seem to corroborate the historical accounts that the site served as the residence for the members of the Society of Jesus during the first half of the eighteenth century. Artifacts recovered from the fill during the cellar excavation primarily dated to the early eighteenth century and were identical to the material recovered from the plowzone surrounding the structure. The similarity between the artifacts recovered from the cellar and the surrounding site vicinity suggests that the Jesuits filled the abandoned cellar hole with nearby, locally available soil.
Although historical records indicate that the second St. Inigoes Priests’ House was abandoned in 1755, a number of artifacts recovered from the cellar fill suggest that demolition of the house and initial filling of its cellar hole only began after 1783. Numerous pieces of lamp chimney glass were recovered from the deepest fill deposits. Such lamp glass was not in production and common use until 1783. By the nineteenth century the cellar hole of the former priests’ house was not entirely filled and during that time efforts were made to completely cap the cellar hole. The fill from this period still consisted of local soil with early eighteenth-century artifacts but also contained material only available beginning in the nineteenth century, including machine cut nails and aqua-tinted liquor bottle glass.
In addition to the cellar, the Phase II excavation identified a well-preserved kitchen midden (Feature 2) dating from 1720 to 1730 and containing household artifacts and faunal remains associated with the residents of second St. Inigoes Priests’ House. Numerous pieces of Delftware, Staffordshire slipware, and Manganese mottled ceramics were among the midden assemblage. All of those ceramic types were common during the seventeenth century, but they were also widely available to consumers during the first half of the eighteenth century. Numerous pieces of Buckley ware were also found. Unlike those previously mentioned, Buckley was generally only available to colonial consumers after 1720. Another method used to date the kitchen midden at Site 18ST330 was through the numerous tobacco pipe fragments recovered from the feature. Of the 226 measurable tobacco pipe fragments recovered from the feature, the majority (n=140) consisted of 5/64-inch bore diameters, most popular between 1720 and 1750. The second most common pipe recovered from the midden were 6/64-inch bore diameter, which were most popular from 1680 to 1720. Using the Binford (1962) method, the midden pipe stems have a mean date of 1727; the Hanson (1969) method yields a mean date of 1726. In either case the pipe stems support a mid-1720s date for the kitchen midden.
The diagnostic artifacts recovered from the kitchen midden (Feature 2) as well as from the plowzone context indicate intensive Jesuit activity at Site 18ST330 during the early eighteenth century. The kitchen assemblage was dominated by olive wine bottle glass and utilitarian earthenwares reflecting the domestic use of the site. The most representative ceramic types present in both the plowzone and kitchen midden included coarse lead-glazed earthenwares (n=108), Buckley (n=101), and Manganese mottled (n=56). The presence of these utilitarian wares, along with the high quantity of oyster shell and faunal material further, suggests that food processing was a major activity undertaken on the site by the Jesuit residents.
Numerous examples of fashionable tablewares were also among the assemblage, including Delftware, Astbury, Rhenish stoneware, and white salt-glazed stoneware. The presence of these items not only suggests that food consumption activities took place on the site but also speaks to the wealth and consumer behavior of the Jesuits who resided at the second St. Inigoes Priests’ House. In addition to the ceramics that were present, the absence of popular mid- to late eighteenth-century ceramics such as Fulham, Nottingham, creamware, and pearlware suggest that the area was no longer used for domestic occupation by the mid-1700s.
In addition to the kitchen assemblage, several other artifacts were also recovered from the site, including tobacco pipes, clothing buckles and buttons, a brass straight pin, and several French gunflints. The presence of such items demonstrates a diversity of activities that likely occurred at Site 18ST330.
The site has a prehistoric component that may span the Woodland period. Prehistoric artifacts recovered include a teardrop projectile point, an informal type that is of unknown age. Also recovered was a small triangular point that may date to the Late Woodland period and 20 pieces of prehistoric ceramic, including 12 pieces of Popes Creek ware dating to the early Middle Woodland period. Stone tool production took place on site, evidenced by 65 pieces of debitage, a core, a biface, and a hammerstone. Three pieces of fire-cracked rock were recovered from the testing, suggesting that cooking activities took place on site. A possible grinding stone (mano) was recovered, suggesting food preparation. Prehistoric artifacts were typically recovered from the plowzone, and different occupations and activity areas were not able to be distinguished from one another at the site. No prehistoric features were identified in the investigation. The prehistoric assemblage suggests that the site functioned as short-term encampment by a relatively small group.
Prior to the present study, the boundaries of Site 18ST330 were not well defined, particularly to the north and west. The Phase II investigation found significant deposits south of Villa Road and east of the driveway leading to Buildings 8188 and 8189. It is recommended that the site boundaries be redefined to encompass the significant deposits
Historical and archeological evidence indicates that the Chapel Site (18ST330) was part of the complex of structures associated with the Jesuit manor house built in the early 1700’s and abandoned after 1755. The presence of such a variety and abundance of material suggests that the site may contribute important information towards understanding the history of colonial Maryland. The prehistoric assemblage indicates that there were episodes of at least short-term occupation at the site from the Late Archaic through the Woodland periods. 18ST330 represents a site of potentially high significance; therefore, it is recommended that if future impacts to the site are unavoidable, further investigation is warranted.
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