Hitchcock-Phillips House’s Front Door with Bullseye Windows

The front door of the Hitchcock-Phillips House is the original front door, dating from 1785. One of its most interesting features are the “bullseye windows” in the top panels.

Prior to the 19th century, a primary method of making window glass involved the spinning of a blob of molten glass at the end of a tool called a pontil. The glass was flattened into a sheet by centrifugal force. When the pontil was pulled away it left a bull’s eye mark. This bullseye glass was used for less expensive windows.

Above is an image of the glass making process

This is the view across the Green towards Town Hall through one of the bullseye windows.  
Did you know that there is another house in town with an almost identical set of front doors and bullseye windows?

These are the front doors of “The Charles Chauncey Hall Jr. Place” at 376 Wallingford Road. This photo was taken in 2018.

According to “Landmarks of Old Cheshire,”

A descendant of Squire Benjamin Hall, Charles Chauncey Hall, Jr.  built this house in 1791-92 for his bride, Elizabeth Foote of North Branford. They raised seven children in this house, which remained in the family’s possession for five generations.