... farmhouse it was built in the early days of Winthrop's ownership, probably about 1637. It was a brick house, two and one-half stories in height, with dormer windows on the roof. When occupied by John Usher in 1690, a lean — to was added to give more room. Under the ownership of the Royalls the house assumed its present proportions. When purchased in 1732 by Isaac Royall the work of enlarging ...