A house is raised in Ipswich

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Jim Whidden checks the fit of the English tying joint, the jowl post, plate and girt connection for the historic house replica to be built at the Ipswich Museum. It will show what an ordinary person’s house looked like in the 17th century. Courtesy photo

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September 1, 2010

Frame to go up for re-creation of 1657 building

The Salem News Wed Sep 01, 2010, 12:09 AM EDT

IPSWICH — An old-fashioned house-raising is set for Saturday at the Ipswich Museum, as the frame for a re-creation of the 1657 Alexander Knight House is raised on the lawn beside the Whipple House.

The timber-frame house will show what many of the town's First Period homes looked like during the early 17th century. Built for ordinary people, rather than wealthy merchants, many of these homes had only one room.

The house-raising is part of an ongoing, living exhibit that demonstrates how settlers built their homes, using traditional tools and construction methods.

Architect Mathew Cummings and master woodworker Jim Whidden came up with the idea of re-creating an early, English-style home. They've been working with a team that includes Richard Irons of Restoration Masons, Susan Nelson of Goodship Research and Tim Chouinard of C.H.S. Landscape Concepts.

On Saturday, the white-oak frame will be raised, beginning at 10 a.m. Baroque violinist John Schnelle and viol players Sarah McManaway and Michael Hamill will be playing 17th-century consort music under the tree in front of the Whipple Garden from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and refreshments will be available for purchase. The public is invited.

Alexander Knight was an innkeeper in Chelmsford, England, who came here with his wife and daughter in 1635. He was reported to have had significant land holdings in Ipswich by 1636, but a series of misfortunes ensued, including the death of an infant son in a kitchen fire, and in 1641 the town granted him a parcel of land and had a house built for him.

The museum project aims to re-create that house.

For more information about the event, contact the Ipswich Museum, 54 S. Main St., or visit www.ipswichmuseum.org. Rain date is Sept. 11.

More information on the project can be found at www.ipswichknighthouse.org.

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A house is raised in Ipswich

Frame to go up for re-creation of 1657 building

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