Old Isle of Wight Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The Old Isle of Wight Courthouse was built around 1750 and used as the main courthouse by the town of Smithfield
in Isle of Wight County, Virginia
.
and conical roof found in many English churches of the period. A clerk's office was constructed near the site in 1799, although it was only in use for its intended purpose for a year, and echoing the Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg.
In 1800, a new courthouse was constructed and the original building was modified into a family residence. To do so, the arcade was blocked and the roof converted to a gable
.
colonial courthouses. It is currently operated by the Smithfield Chamber of Commerce, although it remains under the control of Preservation Virginia, and it is open year-round for tours.
Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield is a town in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads subregion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States. The population was 8,089 at the 2010 census....
in Isle of Wight County, Virginia
Isle of Wight County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 35,270 people, 11,319 households, and 8,670 families residing in the county. The population density was 94 people per square mile . There were 12,066 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
.
History
The courthouse was in use for around fifty years, and considered the center of the town. It was constructed by William Rand, and featured a distinctive semi-circular apseApse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
and conical roof found in many English churches of the period. A clerk's office was constructed near the site in 1799, although it was only in use for its intended purpose for a year, and echoing the Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg.
In 1800, a new courthouse was constructed and the original building was modified into a family residence. To do so, the arcade was blocked and the roof converted to a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
.
Preservation
The building was acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1938, and the exterior was restored in 1959. Most of the interior had remained intact, despite the building's conversion to a private residence. The building is one of four remaining examples of arcadedArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
colonial courthouses. It is currently operated by the Smithfield Chamber of Commerce, although it remains under the control of Preservation Virginia, and it is open year-round for tours.