23. THE TOWN ACT OF 1662

WITH the ascension of Charles II to the throne as King of England, and with the resumption of royal authority in Virginia, renewed efforts were made to maintain James City as the principal town of the colony. Legislative enactments in 1662 were framed with this in mind. Instructions were outlined to guide new and compulsory development in the town.

WHEREAS his sacred majestie by his instructions hath enjoyned us to build a towne, to which though our own conveniencies of profit and securitie might urge us, yett encouraged by his majesties royall commands, to which in dutie wee are all bound to yeild a most readie obedience, this grand assembly takeing into their serious consideration the best meanes of effecting it have in reference thereto enacted.

First. That a towne be built at James Citty as being the most convenient place in James River, and alreadie best fitted for the entertainment of workemen that must be employed in the work.

That the towne to be built shall consist of thirty two houses, each house to be built with brick, forty foot long, twenty foot wide, within the walls, to be eighteen foote high above the ground, the walls to be two brick thick to the water table, and a brick and a halfe thick above the water table to the roofe, the roofe to be fifteen foote pitch and to be covered with slate or tile.

2dly. (b) That the houses shall be all regularly placed one by another in a square or such other forme as the honorable Sir William Berkeley shall appoint most convenient . . . every one building a brick house as aforesaid shall have ground assigned him to build a store on, and shall have the proprietie of the said store and house to him and his heires for ever; and because stores which are built att little cost are likely to produce the greatest benefitt, it is further enacted that noe person or persons but such as build houses as aforesaid shall have the priviledges to build stores [storehouses]. . . .

And though in the infancy of this designe it might seem hard to demolish any wooden houses already built in the towne, yett it is hereby provided and enacted that noe wooden houses shall hereafter be built within the limitts of the towne, nor those now standing be hereafter repaired, but brick ones to be erected in theire steads.

An Act of the Virginia Assembly. December 1662.

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