HISTORIC GUIDELINES for
ST. AUGUSTINE
156S- 1321

STEVEN M SCHUYLER

1. THE ST. AUGUSTINE LOOK

2

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HISTORIC GUIDELINES for
ST. AUGUSTINE
1565 1821

STEVEN M SCHUYLER
March 1979
Prepared for ARC 6860 Preservation Law
University of Florida, Gainesville
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4.1

PREFACE

17. THE MANUCY HOUSE
It was a yellow house on the northeast corner of
St. George and Cuna Streets

Any city with historic districts and landmarks wanting to
preserve the character and style of the existing architecture is
faced with the problem of deciding what styles and details are
correct. It is a problem for the city, the architect, the building
owner, and the contractor. Often the decision of what is appro-
priate or not is left to a board of review. Without a fixed set
of standards all parties are left trying to interpret a vague
generality. This is the position St. Augustine is in today.
The present code states that new construction, restorations,
remodeling, and repairs be done in the St. Augustine style as
described in Albert Manucy's book Houses of St. Augustine. The
book has a cut off date of 1821, the time at which Florida became
a territory. St. Augustine's architecture went through further
distinct periods all of which are as valid as the early Spanish
and British. These other periods need to be addressed. Another
problem with the code is the lack of definition or plan of what
should be accomplished in each district, or at least what time
period should be adhered to.
It is beyond the scope of this exersize to prepare a city plan
and give guidelines for all the time periods, though both things
need to be done. Rather a set of guidelines and examples will
be set forth for the time period 1565 to 1821 based on Houses
of St. Augustine.

INTRODUCTION

1. THE ST. AUGUSTINE LOOK

HISTORIC GUIDELINES FOR ST. AUGUSTINE 1565 1821

The purpose of this guide is to help the individual in the
designing or altering of buildings in the historic districts.
i:It is the basis for what the review board will consider appro-
priate or not. It by no means contains all elements that are
correct, and may contain some that are not. It is not a copy
book, but rather'a means to define the St. Augustine Style and
serve as a design aid.
The guide is organized into sections dealing with different
aspects of the building. The time frame dealt with has periods
relating to Spanish and British occupancy of the city. The
Spanish developed a distinct style which the British adopted
and modified to their wishes while adding buildings of their
own design. As elements are presented they are put in historical
context.
To understand the St. Augustine style a brief history of the
city must be given. Founded as a military outpost in 1565 the
city has known more hard times than good. The inhabitants were
poor, relying on government subsidy to maintain a meger existence.
By 1702 the town had been sacked or burned six times leaving only
the Castillo de San Marcos in tact. After 1702 a renaissance of
sorts occurred. The towns defences were completed and more sub-
stantial buildings were put up to replace the wood and thatch
huts that had been lost. It is at this time the St. Augustine
style really develops. Nearly one hundred and fifty years of
living on the Florida coast taught the Spanish how to adapt to

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the climate and the native materials. South and east exposures
with a solid wall to the north gave the best year round comfort.
Coquina and cypress provided durable and easily worked materials.
The town changed hands in 1763 when a treaty gave it to the
British. Most of the Spaniards moved out while the rest of the
population stayed. The British made changes and modifications
in the existing structures. New buildings were put up in British
tradition, yet many were build with Spanish design criteria.
The British left in 1784 as the result of another treaty and
some of the Spanish returned. The makeup of the city was so
diverse that the Spanish did not have the influence as before.
By 1821 when Florida became a United States Territory it was pro-
gressing much as any frontier town.

4. DETAIL FROM MAP OF ST. AUGUSTINE ABOUT 1593

SITE PLANS
The Rocque Map of 1788 gives
much information as to the site
layout, plans, materials, and
sizes. The map is accurate
enough to get good, close di-
mensions, and has been con-
firmed by archaeology.

The realation to the
street reflected a social
function.
-the building line was on the
street line.
-the entrance to the house is
through a gate into the yard.
-the fence is an extension of
the house and encloses the site.
-fences divide the yard into
functions.
-the orientation of the house
was normally south or east.
-the north wall was commonly
blank.
-the British made doorways
directly into the street.

19. A SECTION FROM ROCQUE'S MAP
This facsimile shows the detail house plan, outbuildings, property
and fence lines found on the royal engineer's map of 1788.

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HOUSE PLANS
There are three basic plan
types in St. Augustine; the
common plan, the wing plan, and
the St. Augustine plan.

COMMON PLAN
Common plan houses were almost
the same for Spanish and British.
They were one room or subdivided.
They grew and expanded with the
fortunes of the owner.

20. THE THREE PLAN TYPES

I 1

The Common P

B C
S S

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S

S

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Ilan

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21. THE "COMMON PLAN"
Simple bedroom-and-kitchen type
A C: one-cell examples
D G: examples of two or more cells
H J: partitioned examples
K L: late examples (extant)
S street
In A to J, the openings are conjectural.
D and H are probably English. Note that
when a porch (broken line) is added to
G, it becomes a "St. Augustine" type plan.

In St. Augustine, the rooms of the plan were fairly spacious.
One-room buildings chosen at random show a variety of dimensions
(all approximate, of course, due to the small scale of the map):
12'xl2' 14'xl6' 15'x20' 16'x20' 12'x22'
14'x30' 15'x22' 16'x26' 15'x25' 16'x35'
'In two-room dwellings, the rooms tended to be a bit smaller.
Again, these are random samples:
1ST ROOM 2ND ROOM
8'xl3' 8'x13'
12'xl8' 12'xl8'
12'x22' 12'xl0'
14'x12' 14'x20'
16'x20' 16'x20'
18'x28' 18'x17'

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BASIC
PLAN

Evolution of the wing and
St. Augustine plans

The common plan allowed for
expansion in all directions.
Normally growth was linear, but
occasionally would happen at
the side making a wing plan.
With the addition of a loggia
the St. Augustine plan was
developed.

LATER REBUILT
ON SALEL
WALL LIML

PORCH
DESTROYED
c. 1702 L

.FORE r702
TAD Y 4 STOJME

AFTER 1702
STOME

9. EVOLUTION OF A SPANISH HOUSE

23. AN EVOLUTION
FROM COMMON
TO ST. AUGUSTINE
PLAN

WING PLAN
The wing plan
least used type.
rooms were added

was the
Wings or
to the sides.

A
I 26. THE WING PLAN
Characteristic: one or more wings
A: openings conjectural; B: this is probably
a "St. Augustine" plan to which wing was
added. Broken line denotes old loggia. C: the
J east wing is conjectural reconstruction. Double
SLA C line area: gallery or arcade; S -- indicates
| | LASIC street side of house
-PLAN

ST. AUGUSTINE PLAN
The plan developed in
response to the Florida climate.
The loggia provided shade in
the summer and a sunny spot in
winter.
The orientation almost al-
ways placed the loggia to the
east or south.
The British adopted the plan
as about 25 better homes of this
type were built during their
occupation.

Random examples show typical dimensions for this plan:
OVERALL SIZE MAIN ROOM
(Feet) (Feet)

24x36
28x42
28x43
30x36
32x32
32x42
45x42

16x16
16x20
18x20
18x18
16x16
16x18
25x22

25. ST. AUGUSTINE PLAN HOUSES
"A" is in part a conjectural restoration

..It. . "

BASIC
PLAN

E. F

SL A

24. THE ST. AUGUSTINE PLAN
Characteristic: off-street porch or loggia entry
A C: porch type; D G: loggia type; E & G:
late examples (extant); A D & F: openings con-
jectural; double line area: porch or loggia; S -
indicates street side of house

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FACADES
The character of the facades
can best be shown by example.
In general they were simple and
balanced, almost void of any
decoration.

The facade will be broken
down into its components and
each one analyzed.

FACADES
List of Characteristics
BEFORE
ITEM B170 1703-1763 BRITISH 1783-1821
1700
Height
1 -story ..........................
1 V2 -story ........................ ?
2-story ............................ ....
Openings
Main entrance via
side yard ........................
Street door .....................
No north openings ...
Openings all sides ......
Doors large,
many 2-leaf ...............
6-panel door ..................
Transoms .....................
Windows large
on street, small
on w est ........... ...............
Wooden gratings on
all windows, rejas
on street windows ... ?
Inside shutters ............... -.
Outside shutters .........
Half-lattice on
windows .................... .
Glazed casements ......
Glazed double-
hung sash ..............
Cornice
Parapet, sometimes
castellated, on
flat roof ........................
Box cornice ...................
Narrow eave ..................
Features
Posts, columns or
arches (at porches,
loggias, or arcades) ... ?
Side porch or loggia ... ?
Street balcony ............... ?
Outside stair .............
Chimney ......................... -

aRuL: 5 4 5 6- C.% 7 7
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36. MASONRY WALL HEIGHTS

Masonry Wall Heights (in Varas)"

HOUSE 3
WING
PATIO 3
PARTITIONS 3
KITCHEN 3
FENCE 2 3
XVara = 33 inches

4
4
31/2 4
4
4
4

51/2 62 7
62

10. THE MAIN GUARD HOUSE IN 1764

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11. THE GOVERNOR'S HOUSE IN 1764

FACADES
Common Plan Houses

LE EIB [

22. "COMMON PLAN" HOUSES

E fill' II
A-i B-1 C-1 D-1

A-2 B-2 C-2 D-2

E.-2

65. FLAT-ROOFED
m. HOUSE

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FACADES
St. Augustine Plan

25. ST. AUGUSTINE PLAN HOUSES
"A" is in part a conjectural restoration

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FACADES

Street elevations of existing
houses

35. STREET ELEVATIONS OF EXISTING HOUSES

35. STREET ELEVATIONS OF EXISTING HOUSES

-single-story
-one-and-a-half story
-two-story

A b
SINGLE-STORY TYPES
A 57 Treasury B 143 St. George

C -2 D E.

C' D g_

ONE-AND-A-HALF-STORY TYPES
C 14 St. George D 46 Bridge
E 250 St. George F 54 St. George
G 257 Charlotte (reconstruction)

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M N
TWO-STORY TYPES
H 14 St. Francis K 62 Spanish
I 224 St. George L 45 Marine
J 42 Spanish M 43 Marine
N 22 St. Francis

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FACADES

Street elevations of existing
houses

-two-story
-tall two-story

35. STREET ELEVATIONS OF EXISTING HOUSES

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Q R

TWO-STORY TYPES

S T

TALL TWO-STORY

O 32 Aviles
P 43 St. George
Q 56 Marine

R 105 St. George
S 214 St. George
T 46 Bay (reconstruction)

TALL TWO-STORY

U 12 Aviles
V 20 Charlotte

W 20 Aviles
X 16 Marine

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35. STREET ELEVATIONS OF EXISTING HOUSES

FACADE ELEMENTS
FEN C ES ..................
The fence was considered
an architectural extension of
the house. Street fences were 3 VARAs ................
masonry while the rest of the
yard was enclosed with a wood
fence. T

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MASONRY

FACADE ELEMENTS
GATES
The Spanish house was entered
from the yard by a*gate in the
front fence.
The British often put door-
ways directly onto the street.
Gates were usually well de-
fined and solid. The fence would
continue over the gate at a
higher elevation.

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STRLLU LLVATION

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80. GATEWAYS

YARD LLLVATIOML
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PLAN

FACADE ELEMENTS
DOORS U
Spanish doors were impressivee
in size and austere in appear-
ance." Double leafed doors with A C F D
one side fixed were common.
Spanish frames were set di-
rectly in the ground, while the &ACK ACK bACK bACK
British used a sill. 37. TYPICAL SPANISH DOORS
Colonial Spanish doors in St. Augustine were probably like
these. The planks in door ""Y' are tongue-and-groove and
beaded both faces.

VA TION

S4" 4"
PIUL. L'YL MIGl Q
CYPRLSS / 14" APART
CEDLATER (?)
"MOTC14 FOR

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DOORSILL
SILL

SPAhtsII' LIJQLIS)4

38. DOOR FRAMES

FACADE ELEMENTS
DOORS
The British brought doors
that were the fashion of the
time six panel.
Spanish double doors were
still used and in instances
transoms were added.

39. SIX PANEL DOOR

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FACADE ELEMENTS
WINDOWS
Widow types varied with 11 .
the exposure. East or south
yard windows were large, street
windows in Spanish times often
had "Rajas" projecting aboutOTSD
one foot on a masonry base. )
North windows were small or
nonexistent. "4
The Spanish frame was on t4" 4-- 4
the inside to accommodate in-
side shutters. The British -
used outside frames and shutters.
The load bearing lintel was .
often wood.
Window sizes were on a 3" .' A b
module. ......
42. WOODEN GRATING
CALLED A "REJA"

41. WINDOW FRAMES
A Spanish type for inside shutters (about 1740)
B Later type for sash and outdoor shutters

011

TT_ One or two wooden lintels
-- were often used over a win-
dow instead of a masonry
*l i arch.

FACADE ELEMENTS

WINDOWS
The Spanish did not use glass
in their windows so openings
were "bannistered and latticed"
for protection. Lattice was
often of 1" stips.
Spanish shutters were on the
inside, double leaf, well fin-
ished, often having wickets or
little windows.
The British brought glass
windows, first floor were often
9 over 6, second floor were 6
over 6. Shutters were moved
outside and had clips to hold
them open.

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43. A "BANNISTERED
AND LATTICED"
WINDOW

WICKET

A B C
44. SHUTTERS
A Inside shutters. Bartram mentions "strong shutters within side,
B A probable design
many of which had a little one in each."
C Outside shutters

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FACADE ELEMENTS /
BALCONIES
A very distinctive feature
of the St. Augustine style was
the profusion of balconies.
Most two-dtory houses had at
least one, often projecting into
the street.
Balconies were foreign to
the British, but they promptly
adopted them, and continued to
build them in the Spanish
tradition.

50. TYPICAL
STREET
BALCONY

53. PEGGED BALCONY
(Typical of remodelling or repair)

12. BALCONIES ON ST. GEORGE A "PRINCIPAL" STREET

52. CORBELED
BALCONY

51. A SMALL BALCONY

FACADE ELEMENTS
BALCONIES
The roof type and slope
varied. They were often ex-
tensions of the main'roof, but
were also added above and below
the eave. Roof pitches were
commonly shallower thn the main
roof.
Posts and balustrades were
made in a way that shed water
and prevented rot.

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70. BALCONY
ROOFS

SECTION

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54. BALCONY POST AND BALUSTRADES
The spindles are tapered at the top into mortises (or sometimes a continuous
groove) on the underside of the hand rail. The bottom rail is not mortised.

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FACADE ELEMENTS 56. GALLERY STAIRWAY
This example at 20 Avils dates from
STAIRS about 1800
Spanish stairs were exterior
normally part of the loggia. A-
Balustrades were turned spind-
les, graceful and well propor- \ J-
tioned. Larger flat roofed
houses had stairs to the roof. --
The British built inside
stairs or used the existing ex- -
terior ones. I

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55. LOGGIA STAIRWAY
"A staircase at one end to the chambers; the steps easy, all tabby." Bartram

20

FACADE ELEMENTS
CHIMNEYS
The Spanish, before 1763,
heated with charcoal braziers,
letting the smoke go out the
windows. Kitchens vented
through holes in the roof.
The British added chimneys
and fireplaces to nearly all
houses they occupied. Place-
ment was for convenience, with
chimneys on the inside, out-
side, or flush with the wall.

57. CHIMNEY MOLDINGS

15. A CHARCOAL BRAZIER
"No house had any chimney," said Bartram.
Actually there were a few fireplaces, but most
of the Spanish houses were heated by char-
coal in metal-lined braziers

DORMERS
There is no documentation of
any Spanish houses having dormers
The British used them in pro-
fusion.
Dormers were an intergral part
of the design, set into the roof
plate. There were two types;
-low dormers-with shed roofs on
1 1/2 story houses, small
-gabled dormers-larger and placed
on 2 story houses.

75. A ST. AUGUSTINE KITCHEN
(After John Bartram's description)

71. DORMERS

21

IJ K L M

ROOFS

During the Spanish period
thatch was by far the most com-
mon roofing material, and ac-
counted for the ease in which
the town burned.
As time progressed roof
pitches became shallower with
45 being the most common.
Gable, hip, gable-hip, and
flat roofs were used.

ROOFS
Types of Roofing and their Periods of Use
(Numbers refer to names listed below)

ROOF PERIODS WHEN USED
MATERIALS Before 1700 1703-1763 British 1783-1821

Palm thatch 1)==2 1 E(2--- 1)--(2)-
Straw thatch 3---(3 E (3 E
Shake or shingle 8 =(8 )E=-8 = (99)( 10 8 8 E 11
Clapboard (6) --(7)-
Tabby slab --(4) E5)--- (4)-
Tile -------(14)-------(13)---
Cypress bark (?) (?) --(12)---

Typical Roofs152

PITCH

530
500
500
470
470
450
450
450
420
400
400
380
350
300
300
260

Common Names of Roof Materials

Thatch
1. Palma: palm thatch
2. Guano: palm thatch
3. Paja: straw thatch
Masonry
4. Azotea de cal: tabby flat roof
5. Azotea: tabby or tile flat roof
Wood
6. Tabla or tablazdn: clapboard

The table below shows the
roof materials in 1759.136
MATERIALS
Thatch (paja)
Palm thatch (guano)
Shingles or shakes
(tejamani)
flat masonry (azotea)

7. Clapboard
8. Telamani: shingle or shake
9. Shingle: shingle or shake
10. Short shingle: shingle
11. Rajdn: shake
12. Cdscara de cipris: cypress bark
Tile
13. Teja: barrel tile
14. Tile: barrel tile

relative popularity of the several

NO. OF ROOFS
190
64
26

23

TYPE

gable
gable
gable
gable-hip
gable
hip
gable
hip
hip
gable
hip
hip
gable
gable
hip
extension

EST. DATE OF
HOUSE ROOF LINE

Pefia
Governor's
Biendicho
Oldest House
14 St. George
Crown
Gomila
Fatio
Segui
O'Reilly
Pefia
12 Aviles
Tovar
Pefia kitchen
105 St. George
Oldest House

pre-1760
pre-1760
pre-1790
pre-1760
pre-1821
pre-1788
pre-1821
pre-1821
pre-1821
pre-1760
pre-1788
pre-1821
pre-1821
pre-1788

post-1820

FLAT /45\

BL~FORL. I76O _____

45.

40 3C

1740-1800

1800-1821

40* 20'

67. ROOF FRAMING

66. ROOF SLOPES OF VARIOUS PERIODS

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ROOFS

Thatch two two types of thatch
are mentioned, and were often
tied or trenailed to a frame of
cypress poles. The British out-
lawed thatch but let it be used
for emergency shelters.

Clapboard horizontal and vert-
ical board roofs were used
during Spanish and British
periods, but usually on small
secondary buildings.

Masonry the Spanish Azorta
or flat masonry roof was used
on a few houses. They were
heavy and tended to leak. The
roof was drained with barrel
tile spouts. The British often
built a more conventional roof
over the flat one.

61. CLAPBOARD ROOFS

59. ROOF THATCHING
Two methods of using fronds from the cabbage palm:
A Seminole Indian B Bahaman

62. TABBY ROOF

69. "BARREL" TILE

23

ROOFS

Shingle there were a few shin-
gle roofs during Spanish times
and were nearly exclusively by
the British. Two types; shake
and short shingle are mentioned.

Eaves thatch roofs have none
and the shingle roofs had sim-
ple ones. Some shingle eaves
had the bottom shingle lifted
an inch to give a kick that
pushed the water away from the
wall. Parapets were simple.

ROUND RIP

68. SHINGLE TECHNIQUES

MITEIID aIP

OUtHO VALLEY
(AT VORMU J

60. SHINGLES

A Shakes

B Short Shingles

46. TYPICAL EAVES

47. GABLES, HIPS AND PARAPETS

24

WALLS

Wattle-and-daub -
posts is infilled
ing of sticks and
ered. It was the
masonry.

a series of
with a weav-
then plast-
poor mans

34. WATTLE-AND-DAUB
WALL
The finished wall was smooth,
but followed the wavy contour
of the wattles.

Coquina these stone walls
account for half the masonry
used. The porous nature of the
stone required it to be plast-
ered inside and out. It was
commonly laid as "coursed-
squared-rubble."

Clapboards -horizontal and vert-
ical board walls were used
during all periods. Boards
were rough sawn or sometimes
planed.

PLASTER

TABBY FLOOR
SOME CUPS

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ELEVATION SECTION

30. STONE (COQUINA) WALL
This is the "coursed-squared-rubble" walling commonly used.

29. CLAPBOARDS
A Edge-lap
B Beveled edge at 14 St. Francis (Oldest House).
This type was also used in New England.
C--Rabetted. Common elsewhere, but no recorded ex-
amples in St. Augustine.
D Feather-edged at 14 St. Francis Street, about 5/," x 6",
with 43/4" to the weather.
E Feather-edge with molding

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26

WALLS
A- A PAT
Tabby a mixture of cement POUR PLASTER
and oyster shell was cast in LINES .
a series of layers, using a -TABY FLOOR
board form. The slow drying .
of the tabby and its weak wet > ,,
strength often led to the in- .
clusion of posts in the wall. Y OR
Tabby is also porous and needs T
to be plastered inside and out.1. TABBY WALL

Masonry Wall Thicknesses -
three common ones are used:
-thin wall- 9" for interior
partitions and small struc- SLCTION PLAN -
tures.
-standard one-story- 1 tercia
or 11"
-standard two-story- 1 1/2 ter- I'
cia or 18". PO4
Combinations masonry and -POST--
frame were used together on A,
one and two-story houses.
TABbY-.
TAbbY I
FLOOR Ln

14. BUILDING A TABBY WALL

32. POST-AND-TABBY WALL

27

FINISHES

Similar finishes were used
during Spanish and British per-
iods.

Masonry all masonry walls
were plastered inside and out
with a lime cement. The under-
coat had the same mortar as
used to lay up the wall. It
contained flecks of charcoal,
burnt shell, and nodules of
pure lime.
The finish coat was smooth
and metal troweled. It was
mostly white but pigments such
as ground red brick or yellow
ochre were also added.
Walls were periodically
whitewashed inside and out.
During the 19th century
some structures were scored with
an ashler pattern.

Wood depending on the means
of the owner a wall could be
left unfinished, whitewashed,
or painted.
-paint-colors similar to the
popular ones in Europe were
used.
-white
-ochre
-red
-green
-olive green
-brown

33. ASHLAR-MARKED PLASTER

28

LANDSCAPING
The yard was used in a util-
itarian manor and could almost
be described as a small farm
yard.
Outbuildings kitchens, stables,
privies, storerooms, wash houses,
etc. were often constructed in
the same manor as the main house
though less substantially. The
British opened shops and busi-
nesses in the yards.
Well Curbs all yards had a
well, they were shallow with a
wood or masonry liner and curb.
There is no mention of windlass
or cover structures.
Plantings and Uses most yards
had a vegetable garden. citrus
trees and animal or fowl pens.
A grape arbor commonly covered
the the entrance tabby walkway.
Trees mentioned:
-orange
-lime
-fig
-pomegranate.

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78. WELL CURBS

1 3. "
I .TAYWKWHSTOTHS

13. "A TABBY WALK WITH SEATS OF THE SAME"

29

77 A GRAPF ARRnR

7-/