Stone Structure - Wendall MA Chamber


	Wendell, MA - “Twin Chamber”

Wendell, MA - “Twin Chambers”

This structure consists of two side by side rooms sharing a common wall between them. Attached to structure is an L-shaped enclosure outside of their entrances. Each room has a window to the outside and there is small window between the two rooms. Each room is roofed with two stone slabs which are supported in the middle by the shared central wall. There are some minor differences between the two rooms in terms of their dimensions. the left room is 5 feet 10 inches by 3 feet 10 inches and the right room is 5 feet 6 inches by 4 feet. The left room is 4 inches longer. The front wall of the left room is 1 foot 7 inches thick and the right room front wall is 2 feet 2 inches thick a difference 7 inches.

There are modern offerings of white stones, sea shells, and even a rusted bolt in the right room. There are no offerings in the left room.

The entrances are oriented to 210 degress (magentic north). Left room window is oriented to 322 degrees (mag. north) and right room window is oriented to 162 degrees (mag. north).




	Interior of left chamber showing the small window.



	Interior of right room. Note the offering of whites stones near the rear wall.


	Diagram from field notes

Discussion

This structure is located within 200 feet of large 19th century house cellar. This “chamber” is quite different in design and architecture details from confirmed Native American stone chambers. In fact is very much out of character with them. We were at a loss to interpretive this structure until we saw an article discussing stone pigsties in Great Britain. The pigsties had a stone building to shelter the pig and an attached stone wall enclosed pen with a gate. Although this structure lacks a pen completely enclosed by a stone wall, it is quite similar in concept. The other two sides of the pen could easily have been wooden fencing and a gate. The “windows” could have provided ventilation. The close association with the house lend support to this theory.


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