The Bausman House Eavesdropper

This episode explores one of Lancaster’s most curious architectural details—the stone face known as the Eavesdropper carved into the exterior of the historic Bausman House. Built in 1762, this rare sandstone residence stands apart not just for its age, but for the watchful figure set beneath its eaves, silently observing the street below.

We trace the meaning behind the eavesdropper, a symbolic warning against gossip in an era when open windows, close quarters, and public conversation blurred the line between private and public life. The episode follows the term’s evolution—from Old English references to roof runoff, to carved figures used in Tudor England, including those reportedly employed by Henry VIII to enforce silence at court—before arriving in colonial Lancaster as stone and symbolism.

The story also introduces William Bausman, the Patriot, public official, and entrepreneur who built the house with his wife, Elizabeth, anchoring the building firmly in Revolutionary-era Lancaster. Finally, we examine the home’s modern chapter: a careful, multi-million-dollar restoration that preserved its colonial character while adapting it for contemporary use.

Blending folklore, language, architecture, and history, this episode reveals how a single carved face connects Lancaster’s past conversations—spoken and unspoken—to the city’s evolving streetscape. To read more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com.

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A faithful replica of the carved face that watches East King Street from the historic Bausman House is NOW available as a wall-mounted piece or magnetic Fridge Guardian. Inspired by Lancaster’s architectural folklore—where small details carry big stories. Available now in the Uncharted Lancaster shop.