WHEELWRIGHT

In the 18th century, wheeled vehicles of every kind were needed to move people or possessions from place to place. A wide variety of wheelbarrows, carriages, wagons and riding chairs could be seen in the streets of Virginia’s colonial capital.

Made of wood and bound with iron, the wheels of anything that navigated rugged colonial roads had to be strong and tight. But first and foremost, the wheels had to be round. Producing them required strength, ingenuity and the talents of both a carpenter and a blacksmith. Precise measuring skills were mandatory.

Like their Williamsburg predecessors, the wheelwrights who practice the trade at the Governor’s Palace today start with a hub fashioned on a lathe from properly aged wood such as elm. A tapered reamer opens the center to receive a metal bearing. The wheelwright uses a chisel to create rectangular spoke holes around the circumference of the wheel. Carved from woods like ash, the spokes radiate to meet a rim of mortised wooden arches, called "fellies," that join to form a perfect circle.

The blacksmith supplies a large hoop of iron precisely matched to the distance around the fellies. The wheelwright heats the iron tire, which expands just enough to be coaxed on with a heavy hammer. He then douses the wheel with water, which causes the iron tire to shrink a bit, which in turn binds the assembly.

In addition to making wheels, Colonial Williamsburg wheelwrights construct and repair the vehicles used throughout the Historic Area.

For inquiries or purchases please contact Prentis Store at 757-229-1000, Extension 2117 or prentis@cwf.org.