Presentation: Archaeological Finds From the Wentworth House Site

Archaeologists Alix Martin and Tad Baker will present a talk on the preliminary findings from last year’s archaeological excavation at the original site of Rollinsford’s historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House at 7 pm on Wednesday, April 15 in the Community Room of the Rollinsford Public Library.

DATE: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Rollinsford Public Library Community Room

Constructed circa 1701, the Colonel Paul Wentworth House witnessed the development of the town of Rollinsford from Colonel Wentworth’s sawmills to a bustling industrial mill town. Last year, a partnership among the Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH), Strawbery Banke Museum, and the property owner resulted in a successful archaeological excavation of the original site of the house. Thousands of artifacts were recovered during the dig, which identified the foundation of the rear lean-to of the Wentworth House.

Archaeologists also determined that the details of the map of the site drawn by the Historic American Building Survey in 1936 were incorrect. The artifacts recovered and our new
understanding of the layout of the yard and its outbuildings, including a carriage house described as slaves’ quarters, will help ARCH better interpret the lives of the property’s
inhabitants.

To follow up on last year’s dig, a second archaeological field school will take place at the site this June. Plans are in the works to offer tours of the dig site while the field school is in progress.

This lecture is free and open to the public although donations will be gratefully accepted. For more information about the lecture or the field school, send an email to
paulwentworthhouse@gmail.com.