Roof work begins at Jewett House
- The front roof plane of the Sarah Orne Jewett house in South Berwick, Maine.
- This detail shows the deteriorated roof conditions along the ridge and on one of the dormers on the front roof plane of the Jewett House.
Historic New England recently began to replace sections of the wood-shingle roof at the Sarah Orne Jewett House in South Berwick, Maine. The project is expected to be completed by the end of December.
The existing shingles will be replaced with new eighteen-inch cedar shingles that match the coursing of the current roof and replicate the existing ridge details. Cedar was chosen for its natural resistance to mildew and rot and its durability relative to other wood species. The project also includes sheathing repairs and installation of new copper flashing and drip edge. Once complete, these improvements will protect the Jewett House from weather for another twenty to thirty years.
This project was funded by the Davis Family Foundation and the Preservation Maintenance Fund. Please consider a gift to the fund to help us preserve and maintain our thirty-six historic properties.
Learn more about Historic New England’s approach to roofing work and our philosophy to replace roofs in-kind in our white papers.
