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The Chattel House was originally the design
of the plantation workers home. They were modest wooden buildings set on blocks
so that they could be easily moved from one leaseholding to another.
In early settlement days, home owners were not necessarily landowners, but part
of a tenantry system of the plantations. The houses were constructed to be transportable
in the event of landlord and tenant disputes. The name chattel referred to the
fact that they were movable property.
The steep gable roof, constructed of corrugated iron, were adapted to suit the
climate of heavy rains and winds. The roofs angle deflect the wind rather than
provide a platform for it to lift off.
The fretwork around the windows and openings were placed there to provide shade
and a filter against the rain. Over the years fretwork has became an attractive
architectural feature in its own right.
Many chattel homes have distinctive jalousie windows, with tree sets of hinges
- Two vertical and one horizontal, that allows maximum flexibility against the
wind and sun.
See also Little Houses, a Poem
