It
was in 1960 that Architect Tom Concannon, who led the restoration
of Devon House expressed his suspicions that the history of
Devon House does not begin with the construction of the Mansion
in 1881. According to Concannon,
“
It is likely that the coach house (west) and the silver vaults
near the coach house date from an earlier house…a rooom
now connected to the main house, used in recent years as a
swimming pool…suggest that the unit was not planned
with the Stiebel construction in 1881.”
Nearly
thirty years after making this intriguing assertion, an architect
named Cox in studying the architectural design of the Devon
House buildings argued,
“the bath house in relation to the main
house strongly suggest those predated the Stiebel house. The
brick work of the coach house and external wall to the west
of the present court yard, the only wall to be built in English
bond which became unfashionable in the 18th century in England,
together with the two cook houses, suggest that these might
date from the late 18th or early 19th centuries.”
Rev. John Campbell served the St. Andrew Parish Church until
his death in 1813, and his son Alexander succeeded him as
Rector. Alexander who grew up at the Devon Penn Rectory, also
made the premises home for his children. During his 45-year
tenure as Rector Alexander lived at the Rectory. There is
every indication that like his father, Alexander was devoted
to his duties as Rector, and almost to the end of his life
he continued to serve his congregation, “The last baptismal
register entry signed by him (Alexander) was on Nov 4 1858
and he died on December 8, 1858.”
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