Contributions appreciated

“This two-room dwelling, known as the ‘hall-and-parlor,’ was the yeoman's approximation of an English manor house. In that much larger dwelling, wings were sometimes added at either end of the great hall: one a buttery or ‘bottlery’ for storing wine and food; the other a parlor, or ‘conversation room,’ for the private use of the family. In the cottage version, one end of the hall was simply partitioned off to create a parlor, or a second small room was added to the original house. The parlor was the ‘best room’ as compared to the utilitarian hall. Nevertheless, it probably contained a bed, as did most rooms in those early houses, where families were large and space at a premium.”

—Mary Mix Foley. The American House. New York: Harper & Row, 1980. p16.