Sights ~ Clemence-Irons House ~ Johnston

Clemence-Irons House
38 George Waterman Rd.
Johnston, Rhode Island



Situated smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood, on a main thoroughfare, is the house museum Clemence-Irons house, one of the oldest extant houses in Rhode Island. Bear and I took a tour last summer.

The house was built in 1691 by Richard Clemence, and is one of the few "stone enders" of that era that are still standing today. Stone enders are unique to Rhode Island, but the style originated with settlers from western England. The architectural style is defined by one wall being entirely comprised of a stone chimney.



The land was first purchased by Thomas Clemence in 1654, from a Native American named Wissawyamake. What started as an eight-acre parcel expanded to more than 110 acres by the time the house was built.

According to Historic New England, the current owner of the house:

"...the most popular theory, and the basis of the later restoration, was that it was built as a story-and-a-half structure with a rear lean-to, a large stone-end chimney, topped with a steep gable roof. Four small rooms (great room, kitchen, principal chamber, and smaller chamber) were located on the first floor, with a cellar below and a garret chamber above."

The house was sold to the Angell family, and then the Sweets-Irons family, with a lot of modifications to its original layout before it was finally sold to the Sharpe family. By this time, the land parcel, which had expanded to about 300 acres over the years, had been subdivided until the house stood on less than one acre.

In 1938 the Sharpes hired restoration expert Norman Ishman to bring the house back to its original form. Restoration lasted until 1947. It turns out that some of their efforts were been inaccurate, and the house is now used as a sort of timeline of changing restoration knowledge.

Our guide pointed out some of the errors that were visible inside the building, and allowed us to explore, but there is no photography allowed inside. We also learned that some of the restorative work is now hard to distinguish from what was already there.

Bear was completely charmed by the place and declared that she'd like to live in it. I think she'd have to make some major changes (indoor plumbing, electricity and insulation, to name a few) before it would be really comfortable, but who am I to argue with teenage romanticism?

The house is only open one day a month from June - October, so check the site and plan ahead or you'll miss it.