Symmetry of the south face of the Manor House

A major project begun last April involves the restoration and upgrade of the 1860s’ Manor House, currently home to the Admissions Department, several guest rooms, a faculty apartment and about 22 boarding girls. The Manor House was the center of the original estate purchased in 1917 by Leonard Sargent, founder of our monastery, and essentially served as the cloister for the first decade of the community’s existence. The work has helped bring out its original architectural beauty. Gone is the iron fire escape made obsolete by an improved sprinkler system and fire-retardant paint. Other work includes a new roof, tuckpointing of the brick chimneys, new clapboard siding and porch decking, new copper rain gutters and custom-made exterior shutters replicating the originals. Opting for black shutters to contrast against the white siding returns the look of the house to its late 19th-century ambience.

The south porch

No expense has been spared in maintaining several of the exterior’s decorative elements. For example, the windows which punctuate the house’s 3rd-floor Mansard-style roof sport new laser-cut triangular pediments replicating exactly the original designs which had been shaped with a scroll-saw. More than a century-and-a-half of nor’easters, saltwater spray and fluctuating humidity and temperatures took their toll on the original wood detail which necessitated their replacement. The same was true of the similarly-shaped scrolls which complemented the top of the wrap-around porch and the drive-through porte-cochere which extends off of the corner of the porch. Mr. Paul Jestings, Portsmouth’s former Director of Operations, returned to campus to oversee the many facets of the restoration.

Open space, after removal of “The Trailers” most recently housing the Development Office and Bookstore

And if the Manor House seems like it has more breathing space around it the next time you visit, it might be due to the absence of the nearby temporary structure humbly labeled, “The Trailers,” demolished the first week of September. The space had housed the Development Office, prior to its move across Cory’s Lane to the Alumni House. It was also home to the bookstore, which has now been relocated to a space in the lower level of the new Science Building. Less visible improvements made during the summer involved addressing potholes on sections of roadways and parking lots throughout the campus and the placement of underground pipe systems for electrical cables.  Next up on the schedule will be the initial construction phase of the long-awaited student center.  Stay tuned.