Milford, Wedgefield-Rimini Road, Pinewood

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS SC,43-PINWO.V,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Manning, is one of the finest country mansions in South Carolina. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: John L. Manning built house c. m Williams (inherited ?) Tompson of New York (purchased) Mr. Clark of Detroit, nephew of Tompson (by inheritance c. W. R. Clark, son of Mr, Clark. 2. Date of erection: c 3. Architect: Potter" of New York. 4. Original plans, construction: Cost reputed to be Two second-floor "wash rooms" (now bath- rooms) were originally supplied with running water supplied through lead pipe from an elevated water tank nearby (the tower-like support still stands). The tank was supplied from the spring house by a hydraulic ram.

The materials for the residence3 including Rhode Island granite, were "brought up from Charleston on the Santee River, then overland to the house. The brick for the house was burned on the site. The house was centrally heated from the time of its construction. 5. Notes on alterations and additions: House restored m B. Historical Events Connected with the Structure: John Lawrence Manning was governor of South Carolina from "MLFQRIV GOVERNOR JOHN L, MANNING PLANTATION KABS No. (Page 2) to following in the footsteps of his father, Richard I. Manning, who had been governor from to Manning was the fourth of six governors of South Carolina in his family. He married Susannah Hampton, daughter of Msjor General Wade Hampton. After her death, he married Sarah Bland Clarke of Virginia.

Their children were Douglas Gordon, Ellen Clarke, and John Clarke. It is not known who the second owner of the house, Williams, was; but since it has been reported that she inherited the house, perhaps she was Ellen Clarke Manning. The house is sometimes known as "Manning's Folly," because of its great expense. The Georgian Period (Vol. 1, pp. says, "Nowhere in the South is there a country seat more strikingly individual than the Manning House" and "Certainly few plantation houses were ever built with more care or cost." C. Sources of Information: Harmon, G. Thomas. "Miiford Mansion." Unpublished paper, Leiding, Harriette K. Historic Houses of South Carolina. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Petty, Walter F. (Preservation Officer, South Carolina Chapter, A.I.A.).

"Notes on Field Trip to Miiford," a brief report for the Historic American Buildings Survey, Columbia, South Carolina, April "Richard I. Manning," Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. 12 (New York, p. Ware, William Rotch, and Keefe, Charles S. (ed.). Georgian Period. Vol. 1. New York: U. P. C. Book Co., Work Projects Administration (WPA). South Carolina, A Guide to the Palmetto State. American Guide Series. New York: Oxford University Press, p. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: One of the most important Greek Revival country mansions of South Carolina, "Miiford" is notable for its fine design, excellent materials, and construction, as v/eli as its heating and plumbing arrangements. 2. Condition of fabric: Excellent. B.

Detailed Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: Three-story center section with two-story wings; five bays on front, five bays on side; 45' x plus wings (about 20' x 20' each); layout- rectangle plus flanking wings. "MLFORD," GOVERNOR JOHN L. MANNING PLANTATION HABS No. (Page 3) 2. Foundations: Stuccoed brick. 3. Wall construction: Stuccoed brick (which were burned at the site) coursed to simulate ashlar masonry and painted white. 4. Structural system: Brick bearing walls, wood framing. 5.

Porches: Garden front impressive parapeted, hexastyle, prostyle portico with Corinthian columns across front; fluted wooden columns; dentil cornice; palmettes at center of parapet; cut granite base and floor paved with gray and white marble tiles; columns painted white and capitals gray; capitals are freely interpreted with Greek detail, including rosettes and palmettes. Rear simple, one-story porch across rear and apse (curving with apse); square sunken panel columns; simple cornice; and cut granite steps. 6. Chimneys: Four plain, brick chimneys. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Front door heavy, recessed, double, four-paneled doors of mahogany with side lights and transom; elaborate entablature with dentil cornice and flaring palmette supported by two Corinthian columns in antis.

Rear door pair of heavy, curved, mahogany, four-paneled doors in the apse; simple trim, b. Windows and shutters: (1) Windows: First floor (front and rear) large, floor-length windows; double-hung wooden sash slide up into wall at top; sash are six-over- nine lights. First floor (side) and second floor windows have double-hung wooden sash with six-over-six lights. Third floor small, one-pane windows within entablature surrounded by wreath-like scrolls. (2) Shutters: Wooden slatted (operable) shutters on first- and second-story windows, 3. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Flat-type roof with modern tin covering. Low balustrade. b. Cornice; Original stucco dentil cornice replaced by sheet-metal reproduction; rest of entablature is in the original stucco. "MILFORD/1 GOVERNOR JOHN L.

HAMMING PLANTATION HABS No. (Page 4) C. Technical Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Rectangular central pavilion with por- tico at front and apse at rear (curving stair in apse). First floor center hall, front to "back; double living room on left (east) and library and dining room with curved end wall on right (west). Second floor center hall front to back, two rooms on each side with original bathrooms between; modern bath added over porch on south- west. Third floor center hall, front to back, three rooms on each side. Covered piazza leads to side pavilions, which are two-story service buildings (west side is kitchen; east side is laundry). 2. Stairways: Grand curving stair in apse has open string with fancy carved scrolls, pine steps with the original carpeting.

The scroll-like heavy newel is in the Empire style; the simple balusters and railing are of mahogany. There are separate service stairs, first through third floor, and a ladder-like flight to roof scuttle. 3. Flooring: Random-width boards, 4" to 8" wide, tongue- and-groove, of stained mahogany. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster walls and ceiling; stucco cornices; stucco ceiling medallions in all rooms on first and second stories; low, ribbed dome over stair hall and oculus decorated with rosettes and palmettes. 5. Doorways and doors: First floor four-paneled mahogany doors; architrave with Greek Revival trim based on palmettes. Second floor doors and doorways are similar to first floor, but painted and with simpler trim.

Hall, first floor between stair and hall is a screen of large double mahogany doors with side lights and transom; architrave with Greek Revival detail based on palmettes. Living room, first floor in the middle of the double living room is a screen of four doors; the inner two slide into outer two, which are glazed with mirrors, and these, in turn, fold back on a track into a wall recess; the inner pair are of mahogany with four panels. 6. Trim: (1) Windows: These have folding inside shutters and architrave with Greek Revival detail, crowned with palmette. (2) Walls and ceiling: High wooden baseboards. Living room has heavy double cornice and an entablature across room with two columns and pilaster at walls. Library has large mahogany bookcases around the walls "MELFQRD," GOVERNOR JOHN L.

MANNING PLANTATION HAB3 No. (Page 5) 7. Hardware: Antique silver-plated "brass hardware (such as mortise locks and butt hinges) throughout house is in good operating condition. 8. Lighting: Electric. Several antique fixtures in house in the j mpire style, including two large glass-enclosed hexagonal candle fixtures in first-floor hall. 9. Heating and utilities: Modern oil heat. Old cast-iron hot-air register set in stone frame in floor of first- floor hall. Fireplaces throughout first and second stories have simple Neo-Greek designs in white or "black marble. Fireplace in each room: black fireplaces on west, white on east; black marble fireplaces have gray stone hearths, and white marble fireplaces have white marble hearths.

Second-floor fireplaces are simpler, Lead water pipes lead from outside elevated storage well and are fed by water ram from spring house. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: Faces northwest. Large? pre-Civil War plantation on rolling hills near the point where the Wateree and Gongaree Rivers merge to form the Santee River, in the "High Hills of the Santee." Many original outbuildings. * 2. Enclosures: None. 3. Outbuildings: Several surrounding period outbuildings} including plantation officeP grist house9 water tank, spring house, gate lodge, etc. 4. walks, driveways: Sand drivey/ays front and rear to plantation areas and public roads. 5. Landscaping: Beautiful and extensive landscaping with mature trees and shrubs; pines, cedars, and magnolias hanging with Spanish moss.

Prepared by James C Massey, Architect National Park Service March I960 and March ADDENDUM TO HABS No. MILFORD (Governor John Lawrence Manning Plantation) Wedgefield-Rimini Road Pinewood vicinity Sumter County South Carolina XEROGRAPHIC COPIES OF COLOR TRANSPARENCIES HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington, DC