Homes in New Plymouth

The first homes in New Plymouth, the first Puritan settlement in North America, were simple structures made of mud and thatch.

On May 11, 1620, the Pilgrims of the Mayflower landed in New Plymouth and then began to settle there and build these simple homes.

However, these homes were soon replaced with clapboard houses that had shingled roofs and kitchen gardens. Every house had its own orchard nearby.

Each house contained only one real room, which was called the hall. There were no separate bedrooms and no living room. Inhabitants had to go outside to relieve themselves.

A large central fireplace, used for warmth, light and cooking, dominated the fireplace.

There would be an oven at one end of the fireplace, a kettle at the other end and a stewpot in the middle.

Stews were served for breakfast and supper, as well as for dinner, the main meal of the day, which occurred any time between noon and three o'clock.

Food was served on a long table known as a board. Everyone sat on benches. People would pair off to share food from a wooden bowl.

The early settlers preferred that their food be made with familiar ingredients. They did not enjoy the local foods, which included venison, turkey, goose, bass, cod and wild strawberries.

The hall was a bedroom as well as a dining room. Mattresses consisted of bags stuffed with wool, rags and feathers and were rolled up and stacked away during the day.

Decorations on walls consisted of firearms and tools that were hung there because there was no other place to put them.

The Pilgrims spent much of their time in the woods, felling trees for use as firewood and for building houses, fences and furniture.