Newtowne Manor Religious Complex
The St. Francis Xavier Church and Newtowne Manor House in St. Mary’s County represents an example of a self-contained, self-supporting Jesuit community. Unfortunately, the majority of the diverse buildings on the site have suffered from disuse, with broken windows, wildlife, and water penetrating through the historic foundation. Preservation Maryland will support our partners at the recently established Friends of Newtowne Manor House through fundraising development, capacity building, and statewide public awareness.
Partner: Friends of Newtowne Manor House
THE PROBLEM
Beginning in the 1630s and 1640s, it was from this area that Jesuit priests conducted missionary activities, while also seeing to the religious needs of the colony’s first settlers. From as long ago as the 17th century, Southern Maryland has been an area with deep and strong roots in the story of religious freedom in America and Maryland. The St. Francis Xavier Church and Newtowne Manor House in St. Mary’s County represents an example of a self-contained, self-supporting Jesuit community. Unfortunately, the majority of the diverse buildings on the site have suffered from disuse, with broken windows, wildlife, and water penetrating through the historic foundation.
THE FIX
Preservation Maryland will support our partners at the recently established Friends of Newtowne Manor House through fundraising development, capacity building, and statewide public awareness. We will also provide technical assistance to assess the current condition of the building and determine what is required for its immediate stabilization, as well as identifying potential future uses.
Historic Newtowne Manor, St. Mary’s County.
Updates
OCTOBER 2019
Earlier this month, Preservation Maryland attended a second community charrette meeting in support of exploring and finding a new use for the historic Newtowne Manor. The Friends of Newtowne Manor House, comprised of parishioners of St. Xavier’s Church and others, have been working to repair, maintain, and envision a new future for Newtowne Manor.
FEBRUARY 2019
St. Francis Xavier Church hosted a community charrette attended by more than 30 stakeholders to discuss current and future uses of the historic Newtowne Manor House. Discussions were led by Larry Abell of Lawrence Abell and Associates and Kate Kuranda of R. Christopher Goodwin.
DECEMBER 2017
As part of our Six-to-Fix program, Preservation Maryland helped arrange a structural assessment of the historic Newtowne Manor House in Southern Maryland. Following recommendations made by Keast & Hood, members of the Friends of Newtown Manor House completed much of the needed security and stabilization work outlined by the engineering firm.
RESOURCES
Georgetown Slavery Archive
Georgetown University
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