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48-537: Raynham Hall was built in 1738 as a "two by two," or two rooms on the first floor with two rooms above it, with a central chimney. After Samuel Townsend bought the house and moved in, he added onto the home four more rooms, giving the newly dubbed "Homestead" a lean-to addition in the saltbox-style structure . The home remained this way until 1851, when Solomon Townsend remade the house in the Victorian style, adding carpeting, highly decorated wallpaper, ornate furnishings,

96-634: A central tower onto the house's exterior with a skylight, as well as an entire new wing to the home. Renaming the house "Raynham Hall," Solomon projected his wealth and affluence where his colonial Quaker counterparts lived a much more conservative style. In 1941, the family no longer had the wealth to retain the house and handed the deed over to the Daughters of the American REVOLUTION'S (DAR) local chapter in Oyster Bay. The maintenance of

144-462: A haunted connection with its namesake in Norfolk, England. The ancestral estate hosts The Brown Lady , first photographed in 1938 as a wispy figure descending the staircase. The Brown Lady has been spotted repeatedly since then along with other spirits of that home. Tuesday-Sunday, 1pm – 5pm. Fee: $ 12 adults, $ 8 seniors & students, youngsters under age 5 free. Saltbox A saltbox house

192-564: A lower ceiling than the house, or could continue almost to the ground, creating a limited height storage area. A front vestibule could have a small catslide roof perpendicular to the main roof. A dormer could be designed with a catslide. Characteristic of most early New England colonial houses, early saltboxes were timber framed . Also known as post-and-beam construction, the technique joins large pieces of wood with mortise and tenon joints, wooden pegs, braces, or trusses. Metal nails were sparingly used, as they were an expensive commodity at

240-628: A main member of the ring. She died in December 1842 and is buried at the Townsend Cemetery . The Culper Spy Ring was assembled in 1778 by Major Benjamin Tallmadge on orders of George Washington . The ring was to be formed inside New York City , the site of British intelligence headquarters. Townsend's brother Robert was recruited to gather intelligence inside the city under the alias "Culper Jr." Washington placed special emphasis on

288-621: A will. Her brothers Maurice and Solomon Samuel were left residing at the house. As a result of family dispute, the courts ordered that the house and various lots be sold to pay Maria's debts. Edward Nicholl Townsend Jr. (grandson of Solomon II) purchased the house for $ 4,800 (~$ 109,700 in 2023) on October 14, 1912. The last Townsend to live in Raynham Hall was Maurice, who died at the Amityville Sanitarium on November 26, 1927. In 1914 Julia Weeks Cole (niece of Helene DeKay), with

336-454: Is a gable -roofed residential structure that is typically two stories in the front and one in the rear. It is a traditional New England style of home, originally timber framed , which takes its name from its resemblance to a wooden lidded box in which salt was once kept. The structure's unequal sides and long, low rear roofline are its most distinctive features. A flat front and central chimney are also recognizable traits. The saltbox

384-560: Is also known as a catslide roof – any roof that, in part, extends down below the main eave height, providing greater area under the roof. If the roof continues at the same pitch, it is considered a "continuous catslide". In the United States, the term is applied to roofs on houses in the Southeast, especially stretching from Maryland south and west through Kentucky , and from early colonial times to around 1910. The term

432-681: Is an example of American colonial architecture , although it probably originated in Kent and East Anglia, coming across with the first wave of Puritans. Its shape evolved organically as an economical way to enlarge a house by adding a shed to a home's rear. Original hand-riven oak clapboards are still in place on some of the earliest New England saltboxes, such as the Comfort Starr House and Ephraim Hawley House . Once part of their exteriors, they are preserved in place in attics that were created when shed-roofed additions were added onto

480-714: The United States Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. Following the British victory at the Battle of Long Island in the autumn of 1776, the Townsend home became the headquarters for officers of the Queen's Rangers , a Loyalist military unit led by Lieutenant-Colonel John Graves Simcoe . Townsend and his family were forced to make room for Simcoe and his fellow officers. At this time, those members of

528-494: The American Revolution. Other accounts have connected this particular ghost with the original Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, where it is supposed to appear as a harbinger of an impending death in the family. A second incident from Miss Coles' files concerned her sister, Susan Coles Halstead, who signed a ghost descending the front stairs. She saw the spectre of an elderly man come down the stairs, turn back toward

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576-466: The Oyster Bay Board of Education. Solomon died on April 2, 1880. His wife, Helene, died on February 3, 1895, leaving daughter Maria holding the land and house. In one of her obituaries, Helene Townsend was described as "preeminently domestic in her habits," a phrase which helps conjure up the busy Victorian household which must have existed at Raynham Hall. Maria died on March 7, 1908, without

624-485: The Townsend family living at Raynham Hall probably numbered seven, including five children (two boys - William and David, and three girls - Audrey, Sally, and Phebe) as well as Samuel and his wife Sarah Stoddard. In addition, a census taken in 1781 shows that Samuel owned eight slaves, one man, three women and four children. Samuel's older sons, Solomon, Samuel, and Robert were all engaged in trade and living away from home. The Townsend family seemed to get along quite well with

672-500: The ages of 20 and 30 with dark curly hair. Beard and moustache, and wearing a dark coat with brass buttons. It is believed that this man is one of the Irish servants employed by the Townsend home during the Victorian period by the name of Michael Conlin. The records have been unable to confirm the name of Michael Conlin in connection with the house as the records of servants during that period were not kept very well. The main ghost story at

720-527: The building officially opened as a museum. The last restoration was completed in 1958 by Watland and Hopping when the front windows were realigned and the exterior siding of the Colonial saltbox refinished. Raynham Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The written record of Raynham Hall's ghosts goes back only to the early 20th century. Julia Weeks Cole, who owned

768-562: The city, Abraham Woodhull, known within the New York spy ring as "Culper, Sr.," asked Robert if he would act as a spy in the city. With a certain amount of reluctance Robert accepted the position and became known as "Culper, Jr.," thus completing the circle of communication that went from Manhattan to Setauket across the sound to Connecticut and on the General George Washington's headquarters. From August 1779 until May of

816-478: The death of a person". Raynham Hall finds its place in national history through the activities of Robert Townsend. Prior to the outbreak of war, Robert had served as a purchasing agent for his father. However by the late 1770s he was living and working in Manhattan as a merchant and a freelance journalist. Since his business contacts brought him into close contact with many of the British officers then stationed in

864-550: The decision to restore the front of the building to its original 18th century proportions in the 1950s. The New York firm of Goodwin and Jaeger were responsible for the initial restoration which involved removing many of Solomon's Victorian additions. The focus of the house and the interpretation were turned back to the historical events of the Revolutionary period. In 1953, with the help of the Friends of Raynham Hall, Inc.,

912-518: The dining room, and vanish. Mrs. Halstead stated that she was sure that the ghost was Robert Townsend, the Revolutionary War spy also known as "Culper, Jr.". What she did not explain was why Robert would be haunting a portion of the house which was not built until 13 years after his death in 1838. Whoever the ghost on the stairs is, he may not be alone. The only recent incidents of a possibly supernatural origin have all taken place on or near

960-413: The fireplace with his pipe. From the kitchen the scent of apple pies baking or cinnamon have been known as a welcoming smell from the spirits to visitors of the house. And smells of roses have been noticed coming from the slave quarters. Another spectral resident made himself known back in 1999. He was first sighted looking into the garden from the servant's entrance at the rear of the house. A man, between

1008-542: The flames of soft desire: My bosom born, for transport, burn And raise my thoughts from Delia's urn? "Fond Youth," the God of Love replies, "Your answer take from Sarah's eyes." Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Raynham Hall was occupied by various members of the Townsend Family. Phebe married Dr. Ebenezer Seely of Norwalk, Connecticut on December 25, 1808, when Phebe was 45 years of age Dr. Seely became

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1056-408: The flames of soft desire: / My bosom born, for transport, burn and raise my thoughts from Delia’s urn? / “Fond Youth,” the God of Love replies, “Your answer take from Sarah’s eyes.” Townsend, who was about 18 at the time of this proposal, did not choose Simcoe to be her valentine, likely due to greatly differing political sentiments, however it is believed the two had a brief flirtation. The theme of

1104-764: The flowery Scene With Myrtle crowned that never fades, In silence seeks the Cypress Shades, Or fixed near Contemplation's cell, Chief with the Muses loves to dwell, Leads those who inward feel and burn And often clasp the abandon'd urn,-- Say, awful God! Did'st thou not prove My heart was formed for Constant love? Thou saw'st me once on every plain To Delia pour the artless strain - Thou wept'sd her death and bad'st me change My happier days no more to range O'er hill, o're dale, in sweet Employ, Of singing Delia, Nature's joy; Thou bad'st me change

1152-525: The following year, Robert provided George Washington with as much useful information as he could gather regarding British plans and troop movements. In May 1780, Culper, Jr. abruptly stopped work only to resume again in July. One of Robert's Oyster Bay cousins, Samuel Townsend (1744–1792) also served the colonial cause as a captain and Paymaster in the New York 5th Regiment of the Continental Line. In

1200-401: The front hallway of the Victorian section of the house. Noises have been heard up in the slaves quarters which are currently used only for storage. Several unexplained smells have also been noticed in the house. From the first floor of the Colonial section staff and visitors have noticed smells of pipe tobacco and wood fire in an area where Samuel Townsend used to relax with his family in front of

1248-568: The help of her sister Sallie Townsend Coles Halstead, purchased Raynham Hall for $ 100 (~$ 3,042 in 2023) to preserve it from change. During their tenure, it was used as both a tea room and meeting place for the Oyster Bay Historical and Genealogical Society. In 1933 Miss Coles deeded the house to the Oyster Bay Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), with a mortgage of $ 20,000 (~$ 373,914 in 2023). The DAR maintained

1296-495: The home revolves around the relationship of Sally Townsend with John Simcoe. She is believed to have fallen in love with Colonel Simcoe during his stay at the home during the Revolutionary War. But, at the war's end Simcoe returned to England, where he married. Sally, on the other hand, never married and died in the house, a spinster at the age of 82. After her death the Valentine's latter that Simcoe had given her during his stay at

1344-731: The homes. The style was popular for structures throughout the colonial period and into the early Republic for its ability to enlarge the footprint of an existing structure at a minimum of cost. It was most common in Massachusetts , the Connecticut Valley , and in the Western Reserve of Ohio in the period from 1620 to mid 1700s, but continued to be built until around 1820. Saltbox homes can also be found in parts of Newfoundland and Labrador as well as in parts of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula . The roof style

1392-457: The house by adding a rear wing, a water tower and a number of other Victorian architectural features. He then renamed the house Raynham Hall after the baronial great house, begun in 1619, of the famous Townshends in Norfolk, England. Despite some "wishful thinking," the families are not related to one another (Townsendsociety.org). It appears that Solomon had spent summers in Oyster Bay until 1861, when he moved there permanently from New York City at

1440-534: The house by the DAR was too much, and finally the home was granted to the Town of Oyster Bay. After deliberation, it was decided that Raynham Hall would continue as a part of Oyster Bay as a historic home and museum to represent the Colonial and Victorian lifestyles of the Townsend family. On May 6, 1738, Samuel Townsend (1717–1790) purchased the property now known as Raynham Hall from Thomas Weedon for 70 pounds. At that time,

1488-407: The house consisted of four rooms with a large central chimney. It is possible that Weedon, whose trade is listed as a carpenter, may have constructed the original building. Between 1738 and 1740, Townsend enlarged the property to expand it to eight rooms, making it a story-and-a-half salt box. Although the rooms may seem small to us today, the house was fairly large by 18th century standards. Townsend

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1536-485: The house from 1914 to 1933, wrote an article on the ghosts for the Glen Cove Record in 1938. In her article, Miss Coles recorded the story of an overnight guest to Raynham Hall who awoke to the sounds of a ghostly white horse and a rider outside her bedroom window. Miss Coles theorized that this might have been the spectre of Major John Andre , who visited the house shortly before his capture and execution during

1584-519: The house through the depression, and in 1941 Miss Cole gave the house to DAR. The DAR continued to keep the house open to the public, as well as maintaining the Raynham Hall Tea Room. Six years later, maintenance on Raynham Hall became too burdensome for the DAR and the decision was made to offer the building to the Town of Oyster Bay. The Town accepted the offer and in 1947 took possession of the building and with an advisory committee made

1632-490: The house was found with well-worn creases from countless rereadings. The room belonging to Sally is in the Colonial portion of the house known as the West Room. Many have said they noticed a change in temperature inside the room, usually about 5–10 degrees colder than the rest of the house. Some psychics and ghost hunters have come to the house and found Sally's aura to be one of sadness. Raynham Hall in Oyster Bay also shares

1680-493: The lengthy valentine revolves around the difficulty of loving an enemy. Townsend was never married, and it is said that the valentine was found among her possessions after her death. The Raynham Hall Museum features a preserved windowpane where a British officer scratched a message to "The adorable Miss Sally Townsend". Townsend was the seventh of eight children born to Samuel and Sarah Townsend in Oyster Bay . Her father

1728-528: The officers of the Queen's Rangers on a certain level. In fact, on Valentine's Day 1778, Simcoe gave Sally a Valentine, and a number of compliments were etched on panes of glass from the officers to two of the sisters. Even Robert Townsend, who worked as a spy for Washington during the Revolutionary War, remarked when British Major John André was executed by the Americans that he had "never felt more sensibly for

1776-528: The outbreak of the Civil War. Like his father and grandfather before him, Solomon II was also a merchant and importer. By his early twenties he had begun his own business which would eventually be known as Townsend, Clinch and Dike. In 1849, at the age of 44, he married his first cousin Helene DeKay. The couple had six children, five boys and a girl, all of whom were brought up in Raynham Hall. By 1860, he

1824-462: The owner of the house in 1812 through a transfer from Sally Townsend. Robert and his sister, Sally, along with the Seelys, spent their adult lives at the "Old Homestead" (Raynham Hall). Robert died in 1838 at the age of 85 and Sally in 1842 at the age of 82. In 1851, Solomon Townsend, grandson of Samuel, purchased the Townsend home and land from Dr. Seely for $ 1,300 (~$ 47,611 in 2023). Solomon transformed

1872-399: The pastoral scene Forget my Crook; with haughty mien To raise the iron Spear of War, Victim of Grief and deep Despair: Say, must I all my joys forego And still maintain this outward show? Say, shall this breast that's pained to fell Be ever clad in horrid steel? Now swell with other joys than those Of conquest o'er unworthy foes? Shall no fair maid with equal fire Awake

1920-520: The round of Sarah's eyes, Or darted thence like lightning fires And Heaven's own joys around inspires; Thou know'st my heart will always prove The shrine of pure unchanging love! Say; awful God! Since to thy throne Two ways that lead are only known- Here gay Variety presides, And many a youthful circle guides Through paths where lilies, roses sweet, Bloom and decay beneath their feet; Here constancy with sober mein Regardless of

1968-411: The stairs. A visitor to the museum claimed to hear the swish of petticoats behind her as she walked past the base of the staircase. Turning, she was able to see just a portion of a figure, dressed in Victorian finery, go past her down the hallway toward the back of the house. Also unexplained noises have been heard throughout the house, staff members have heard distinct footsteps following them throughout

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2016-526: The time. The exterior of a saltbox was often finished with clapboard or another wooden siding . The Josiah Day House in West Springfield, Massachusetts , is constructed of brick. Sarah Townsend (spy) Sarah "Sally" Townsend (c.1760–1842) was thought to be an informant for George Washington 's Culper Ring , a spy ring founded in the summer of 1778. Townsend lived in Oyster Bay and passed information to her brother, Robert Townsend ,

2064-611: The true identities of agents remaining secret and using aliases, and none were able to meet him in person. This was designed to avoid spies being captured and hung, as Nathan Hale was two years prior to the ring's formation. British officers were stationed at the Townsend home including John Graves Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers , who was often visited by the British army's Adjutant General , John Andre . According to legend, Sarah told Robert about how she overheard Simcoe and André discussing plans to capture West Point thanks to Benedict Arnold 's treachery. This information through Robert

2112-661: The winter of 1779, Lieutenant Colonel John Simcoe gave a Valentine's Day letter to Sarah 'Sally' Townsend , the daughter of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard Townsend. The museum claims that this letter is the first recorded Valentine's Day letter in America. Fairest Maid, where all is fair Beauty's pride and Nature's care; To you my heart I must resign O choose me for your Valentine! Love, Mighty God! Thou know'st full well Where all thy Mother's graces dwell, Where they inhabit and combine To fix thy power with spells divine; Thou know'st what powerful magick lies Within

2160-624: Was a merchant, as well as Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk, and at least one of the front rooms of the house may have been used both as an office and a store. The outbreak of the Revolutionary War found Samuel Townsend's sympathies on the side of the Patriots despite the fact that half of Oyster Bay's inhabitants were Loyalists . Townsend went on to become a member of the New York Provincial Congress, which voted to ratify

2208-446: Was borrowed from 17th century England where it referred to a secondary roof, often at the side of a building. In the southern US, a catslide roof was usually covering a front or rear porch, often with a less steep pitch than the main roof. The term is applied to any roof with different eave heights, such as a house with one and a half stories above ground in the front and one story in the rear. The catslide could cover an open patio with

2256-594: Was one of the wealthiest men in Oyster Bay with a personal worth of $ 97,000 (~$ 2.68 million in 2023). In keeping with the tradition of public service established by his father and grandfather, Solomon II represented New York Count in the State Legislature and served as a delegate to two State Constitutional Conventions. He also completed two terms as Commissionaire of Education in New York City and after his return to Oyster Bay served as president to

2304-619: Was sent to Tallmadge's agents, and led to André's capture. André was captured on neutral ground carrying documents with the plans to capture West Point and was soon hanged. Simcoe courted Townsend for a time and declared his love for her in 1779 in America's first known valentine. In it he asks her to choose him as her valentine. An excerpt reads, "Say, must I all my joys forego and still maintain this outward show? / Say, shall this breast that’s pained to feel be ever clad in horrid steel? / Nor swell with other joys than those of conquest o’er unworthy foes? / Shall no fair maid with equal fire awake

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