They had usually a crescent cut near the top to admit the early light, and were held back by an iron somewhat in the shape of an S inserted in the stone wall. As ground was cheap, these houses were large in extent and commonly a story and a half in height, the roof sloping steejjly from the ridge pole, and dormer windows broke its uniformity. Double-pitched houses were of later date, as were those in the interior of the county shingled on the sides as well as on the roof. The front door was invariably divided into halves ; in the upper half were two bull's eyes of glass to light the hall, and it was graced with a heavy brass knocker. The lower half had a heavy latch. A wide piazza surrounded the house. In the villages a front stoop was common, with benches on each side. Here the families took their evening rest and the neighbors discussed the questions of the day. The houses mostly had a southern exjjosure. Attached to them was usually an extension for the kitchen and the use of the servants, which was generally built of brick. Many bricks were brought from Holland, but these extensions or wings were most frequently built of rough bfick from the kilns on the Hudson River, of which early mention is made.

" In houses of much size the rooms were often wainscoted to the height of about three feet, or a chair board (a beveled moulding) ran about the same height from the floor. Sometimes the wainscot was carved, as well as the paneling about the deep wooden seats and the mantel-pieces. The fire-places occupied a large space, in some very old houses being placed cornerwise. Tiles, usually of Scripture scenes, adorned the fire-places. Some were of quite fine ware, entirely white, as in the Van Cortlandt Manorhouse, where one or two were spared by the soldiers when removing the rest to use as plates.