Archaeology & Restoration

Archaeology

The Brafferton's role as an Indian school ended with the American Revolution, and over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the building served as a student dormitory, faculty apartment, library and dining hall. This unique history makes the building a particularly interesting site for archaeologists and historians.

Beginning in late May of 2011, an extensive archaeological excavation was carried out prior to the renovation of the historic building. Archaeologists from Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's Department of Architectural and Archaeological Research oversaw the excavation in partnership with William & Mary's Department of Anthropology and Virginia Indian archaeologists.

The Brafferton Project followed previous collaborations between the university and Colonial Williamsburg that provided undergraduates unique opportunities to participate in archaeological research. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation conducted its 27th annual archaeological field school during Summer 2011, with two five-week field school sessions focused on the building exterior. The field school, led by Colonial Williamsburg archaeologist and William & Mary anthropology doctoral candidateMark Kostro, included undergraduate students, anthropology graduate students and archaeologists from Colonial Williamsburg.

Work completed during the 2011 field school was continued in during Summer 2012,  when the cellar of the Brafferton was excavated by a team lead again by Mark Kostro. The excavation provided new insights into the building's design, and revealed drainage equipment from the late 1700s, indicating that the control of ground and flood water in the Brafferton cellar was an issue faced by the building's early residents.

Restoration Work

Fall 2012

In September, William & Mary finalized its contract with Virtexco Corporation, the same contractor responsible for renovating the Christopher Wren building in 1999-2000. Throughout October, William & Mary, Virtexco, and architect Grieves, Worrall, Wright, & O'Hatnick (GWWO) met to discuss the project. The building was prepared for construction, and steps toward renewing its plumbing and renovating its cellar were taken.

The door frames, banisters, floors, windowsills and exterior steps were covered with plywood in order to protect them from accidental construction damage. The contractor confirmed the size and location of the piping by cutting small, precise rectangles in the walls.

Throughout the building, the walls were opened to remove outdated insulation. Water, drain, waste and vent plumbing lines (most of which date to the 1932 restoration) were removed from the building interior, to be replaced by modern pipes. In order to ultimately lower its floor for the purpose of installing a bathroom, construction workers began to excavate the cellar by hand, and used a conveyer belt to remove dirt from the building.

Winter 2012/2013

Significant work on the cellar was completed in order to address drainage issues and create space for a new restroom, and major steps toward the renewal of the third floor taken. Since the cellar floor was lowered beneath the building's foundation, the exterior walls of the cellar were reinforced with concrete. New cellar floor slab was poured, on top of which salvaged 18th century bricks were re-laid. A new drainage system was installed under the floor in the cellar in order to divert rain water away from the foundation walls. New interior cellar steps were installed, allowing for easier access. Demolition of divider walls on the third floor began.