Past Fenwick Hall's Interior & Furnishings Johns Island, SC
Please come in and have some tea....
When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for; and let us think...that a time is to come when men will say, “See, this our fathers did for us!”
John Ruskin, 1848
John Fenwick's Great Hall as it was 1943-1976 during the Blachard family years. Photographer John R. Hauser.
Above-Blanchard's furnishings, photo taken by me 1970's.
Above the photo show the huge beautiful mural in the great hall that was painted over by Charter Hospital and is gone forever. The mural was dated 1931 and painted by Lydia M. Brown. Above are Nellie & Claude Blanchard's original furnishings as placed in the home during their residency.
Below-Same room but with Morawetz's furnishings of the 1930's after they save Fenwick from ruins. That photo was not taken by me!
1930's Great Hall with Morawetz furnishings Victor Morawetz restored the plantation in early 1930's and died in 1938. He left no children behind to inherit his homes.
Above & Below...same room, about 55 years later..
Same room 1980's Charter H. The Great Hall. With the mural painted over with a very pale yellow paint.
2009 Restoration of the Great Hall's fireplace. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's Great Hall fireplace. Imagine the souls that warmed themselves by this fire the past 300 years!
1980's Detail of Great Hall's cornice.
1980's, The Great Hall with Fenwick Hospital Furnishings.
1970's Great Hall before mural was destroyed by Charter Hospital looking into SouthEast room. Notice the chandelier is 'crooked' in the photos? The ghost kept moving it! Photographer John R. Hauser.
John Fenwick's original 1730 plan Note Palladian Windows on North Side (Stono River) true front, of the house.
Above-John Fenwick's original floor plan 1730. (Built on top of an old wooden fort)
Below-the floor plan from approx 1787 after John Gibbes purchased the plantation from Edward Fenwick as a result of a family law suit (even more drama!). Shortly after John Gibbes purchased Fenwick, we think he added the northern wing with its then fashionable octagonal ends. He then also replaced the simpler entrance with a small portico (porch). Please note that the octagonal winged end the delicate woodwork is all of white pine, while the heavier panels, carvings and mouldings of the main Fenwick building are of Low Country Cypress. Also, the floor plan does not show the 1930's additions put in place by Victor Morawetz.
Fenwick Floor Plan 1787 after John Gibbes added the octagon wing which included a second staircase. Portico possibly added at that time also.
First Floor Plan noting Morawetz Wing
1970's facing Stono River Entrance. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's Stair Case Facing Stono River.
2009, Baluster and Stringer design on the main staircase. Baluster is made of Mahogany. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2009, Stair Stringer Design of Fenwick Hall's Stair Case in it's Great Hall. All hand carved from one block of wood. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's Blanchard's Furnishings. View of Great Hall. This door faces the main Oak Allee (River Rd). Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's Great Hall. Same room as above and below images.
1970's Great Hall looking toward Oak Allee. John R. Hauser, photographer.
1970's with Blanchard's Furnishings. Same SouthEast room as below. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's Fenwick. Very intricated carved mantle. SE first floor room that faces Oak Allee. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2009, Same fireplace above and below in SouthEast room. This photo was taken during recent restoration. No two fireplace mantels are of the same design in the manor. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's as Fenwick Hall Hospital. SouthEast room's fireplace.
Hand carved original mantle..about 1730
2009, Fenwick SouthEast room during recent restoration. Original wood floors have been protected by the hospital's old carpet. Photographer John R. Hauser.
Different room, NorthEast room, 1980's Beautiful wood panels NE room, first floor.
Original Fenwick Mantle closeup and personal
2009, NE Corner Paneled Palladian window room after Charter. During renovation. Same room as above photo. Photographer John R. Hauser.
detail detail. Wish we knew who carved this.
1980's Fenwick Hall Hospital, NE chamber
1970's Blanchard's formal dining room. I do believe the silver continues to be passed down through the Blanchard family. This is another view of the front octagon wing dining room. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's Formal Dining room's fire place mantel in the octagon wing. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's formal dining room in front octagonal wing.
1970's Helena Igoe Blanchard's formal dining room in the 1787 Octagon Wing which faces Oak Allee, This is the same room as in the below photo of the Fenwick Hospital's dining room. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's Fenwick Hall Hospital 'commercial' Dining Room. The same room the Blanchard's used as their formal dining.
2009. Fenwick Hall Hospital Main dining room as they left it behind. Wonderful colors! Photo during restoration. Don't judge a room by its colors! The beautiful wood paneling has hundreds of years of paint applied. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2009. Fenwick Hospitals formal dining room fireplace as left. This is the dining room in the octagonal wing facing River Road. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1930's Morawetz dining room. Simple but elegant. Same room as above & below images.
1980's Fenwick Hospital formal dining fireplace.
2009. Formal dining room cornice from the Hospital. Note the multiple holes in the plaster and wood. Photographer John R. Hauser.
During the Civil War, Fenwick Hall was used by both the Union and the Confederacy as a field hospital. (How ironic it was then used as a substance abuse Hospital in the 1980's). Its usefulness to the Union probably saved it from being burned.When the owner (Townsends) return after the war, the plantation's farmland was in ruins. The land was then leased for farming.
1974, Main Staircase Upstairs Landing facing River Road. Note the baby's bed with childrens toys inside. Photographer John R. Hauser.
Helena Igoe-Blanchard's bedroom during the 1970's. Located in the upstairs octagon wing facing the Alley of Oaks. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2009 Restoration of former Helena Blanchard's bedroom. Many layers of paint to be removed. Old wood floor is protected by the old hospital carpet. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's hospital upstairs back octagonal wing bedroom, Fenwick Hospital.
2009, Octagonal wing front upstairs bedroom with view out this window of the coach house. Photo taken during recent restoration. Same window as above photo. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's SouthEast 2nd Floor Bedroom in the Octagonal Wing overlooking Penny's Creek & Stono River. Blanchard's furnishings. More fantastic wood paneling. John R. Hauser, photographer.
1974, NE 2nd floor bedroom. Per Bob Blanchard, legend goes the cypress walls were sanded smooth by the slaves with stones from the River. John Fenwick held over 500 slaves on his various plantations around Charleston. Great bed! As a kid, I asked Bob Blanchard if I could "have" that bed one day. He said 'not that one' but he would give me his antique bed (shown in another photo). I never did get either bed! Photographer John R. Hauser.
1974, Guest Room with the childrens toys 1970's. Upstairs bedroom facing the Stono River. This is the room haunted by Edward Fenwick's Daughter. Lucky guest stayed in this room with the ghost. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1974, Upstairs guest bedroom, with beautiful unpainted paneling. 1974, Guest Room with the childrens toys 1970's. Upstairs bedroom facing the Stono River. This is the room haunted by Edward Fenwick's Daughter. Lucky guest stayed in this room with the ghost. Photographer John R. Hauser
1980's NE bed chamber fireplace, same as above photo.
1970's SouthEast Upstairs bedroom which is in the oldest main section of the castle. Shown are more of the Blanchard's what would now be antique beds. This is the bed Bob Blanchard said he would give to me one day. Note more of the heavily paneled walls and carpet protecting the huge old wood plank floors. No laminate in this house! Photographer John R. Hauser.
There are secret passage ways....
Secret doors.. Photo taken in 1980's.
1973, Victor Morawetz secret door to a secret room down a short flight of stairs. The secret room had wonderful wood paneled walls. The secret room suffered major water damage while owned by Charter Hospital. Photographer John R. Hauser
1974, Music Room (real gold leaf mirrors!) Photographer John R. Hauser
1973 Kitchen as used by the Blanchard Family. The kitchen is in the additional smaller wing that was added by Victor & Marjorie Morawetz when they saved the estate from ruins about 1930. Photographer was me, John Hauser, when I was a kid. Sorry these old photos are not better quality but I did take them long ago and never would have imagined the photos would end up on an internet. This kitchen was 'gutted' by Charter Hospital and a commercial kitchen was installed in 1985. Currently the commerical kitchen has been removed and the space gutted again.
1974, Upstairs view from main hall looking toward River Road. Photographer John R. Hauser
1974, View from on top roof (widows watch) looking toward River Road. Photographer John R. Hauser
Fenwick Hall Oak Allee 2009. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's Fenwick Music Room with Palladian windows hidden by the draperies. This window view looks toward the Stono River. With Blanchard furnishings. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1980's same room, but as Fenwick Hall Hospital.
2009. Another View of the Palladian Windows during the recent renovation. Note the Fenwick's Hospital old sofa that was left behind. This is the same room as the photo above. Note 16" thick exterior walls. Photographer John R. Hauser.
palladian window
2009. One of the side lites to the Palladian Window of Fenwick Hall that faces the Stono River. You can see the detail of the wood paneling and the old glass. Window glass was very rare, expensive and in small sheets in the 1700's. Architects, historians, contractors and art students may find this work unique. Photographer John R. Hauser.
1970's Another view of the music room in Fenwick with glimpse of one of the Palladian windows that faces the Stono River. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2009. One of Two Palladian Windows of Fenwick Hall under restoration. Fenwick has not one, but two of the earliest documented Palladian Windows in S.Carolina. This very fancy window design for the period flanked the Stono River Entrance Door. This window's critical wood paneling had been painted over. From this image you can get an idea of the light and view the window allows. Photographer John R. Hauser.
Music room fireplace. Photographer John R. Hauser.
right rear upstairs bedroom. Photographer John R. Hauser.
2nd floor right front bedroom. Photographer John R. Hauser.
Strap Door Hinge from oldest part of the Manor House.
Shutter Hinge used on many doors in the oldest part of the Fenwick House. This was the door as left behind by Fenwick Hospital. They placed 'stickers' on these very old doors! Note door handle and lock also.
Above--Fenwick's Door Hardware: Two types of hinges were used in the oldest part of the manor house. Strap hinges and shutter hinges. Buildings can be dated by the door and window hardware used along with the type of nails, if these items had not already been replaced my a more modern version. It was the very late 1700's before nails were even mass produced and not hand made.
I'll work on some better photos of Fenwick's hardware....
2009. This is a section of the 'inside' brick wall from the front wall of the oldest section of the manor house. This brick is inside the wall paneling behind an old fashioned water heating radiator used to heat the room. Note the different design used for each row of bricks. Photo taken during current restoration and brick section is from 1730's. Photographer John R. Hauser.
The Great Hall. Awesome floors
Quoines
Ancient cypress interior wood shutters pre-date glass windows. Let's keep out the Indian's, their arrows and bullets during attacks!
PLEASE SIGN THE "GUESTBOOK" LINK ON BOTTOM OF THE FIRST PAGE (LABELED 'FENWICK HOME PAGE').
