Behind the Mystery: 333 Richmond Road
Have you ever thought to yourself: “Wawa is way too far from Monroe Hall?” We may have just the real-estate deal for you. Meet 333 Richmond Road — once the unholy bastion for all things f ilthy, this not-so-hidden residence adorns the space between College Delly and the aforementioned convenience store. Surely you have walked past it on a Thursday or Saturday night. In this article, you will explore the hidden mysteries of this humble abode with current resident Justin Sherlock ‘23.
JUSTIN SHERLOCK // FLAT HAT MAGAZINE
With housing close to campus at a premium, it’s natural for people’s curiosity to be piqued at the sight of three houses nestled between Wawa and the College Delly on Richmond Road. Two of these are student apartments for the College of William and Mary, the other serving as the college’s Archaeological Center. 333 and 331 Richmond Road, or “the Threes,” as they’re called, have something of a reputation. They were once THE party locations for any college student out of the loop. Don’t know where to go with your group of friends? Want to pregame before bars? Show up at night between Thursday and Saturday, and you’re bound to find a party spanning the complex. Most of the partying has been shut down since 2018 — the houses are way too close to campus to withstand such persistent noise and intoxication. The last class of students to experience these parties is graduating this semester.
Even though the Threes have mostly fallen silent in recent years, they have a story to tell that dates all the way back to 1925 — one that I, as a current resident, set out to discover.
I am one of ten students lucky enough to call 333 Richmond Road home. I have been living here for almost eight months now, and people are full of questions about this notorious address, even without being aware of its long history in Williamsburg. Students love to ask: “What’s it like to live so close to campus but still be off-campus?” “Why is it so hard to get a lease?”
Let’s take them one by one.
First, it’s very similar to living in any housing near the College or on campus.
Second, it’s very difficult to secure a lease in 333 because of how few apartments there are, combined with the dreaded “grandfathering” of leases. There are five total apartments on the 333 lot with a total of ten students, and most of these five leases are passed down from friend to friend or from organization to organization, with students “grandfathering” their friends in. Unless one is part of this small circle, it’s hard to find an open lease. That’s why I was so surprised when an apartment was listed on Zillow in February of 2021. I very quickly toured and signed the lease.
JUSTIN SHERLOCK // FLAT HAT MAGAZINE
Another question I get asked involves living conditions. People often assume that 333 Richmond Road is run-down, stained, dirty, and generally unfavorable. I disagree. The house is nice to live in.
To get a better picture, here’s a quick pros and cons list:
Pros:
Proximity to campus (ten-second walk across Richmond Road)
Easy to host events (central meeting point)
Very close to bars (College Delly is next door, and all other bars are in sight)
Historical and aesthetic (fire escape vibes)
Large rooms (10x12, if not larger, with closet space)
Well-insulated (there is not much noise heard from within)
No insect or rodent problems
No plumbing, electrical, or maintenance issues
Cheap rent (compared to on-campus housing)
Cons:
Noise from the bars (yelling, music, etc.)
Lack of laundry facilities
Foyer is a bit dirty
No central A/C and not much air circulation (window units are my friend)
Specifically for my apartment: there is no living room space
No parking (besides 2-hour parking on the road)
Every student treats the front yard as a Wawa trash can (seriously, stop littering!)
Not updated in any sense (bare necessities)
While researching the Threes online, I was surprised to find many pictures labeled “Wynway Hall.” I had never heard of this name before and decided to dive deep into the College’s Special Collections, in which the “Wynway Hall Guest Register” proved very helpful.
I discovered that 333 Richmond Road has a long history, beginning with its construction in 1925 by Miles Wills Wynne — hence the eventual name Wynway Hall. The colonial revival-style house even earned the designation of a historic property in 2006. Originally, a barn was constructed at the back of the lot that housed the mules that helped pave Richmond Road. While Wynne and his family lived on the first floor, the second and third floors were initially rented out as guest spaces — two apartments and two single rooms. The house remained in this format until World War II when it became apartments for the military. After the war, the house returned to its original layout for over three decades before being redeveloped in 1969 to become rentable apartments for the community. Not surprisingly, due to its proximity, most renters today are students of the College. As for the mule barn, it was refurbished as a schoolhouse before becoming additional housing in the 1970s. Since the '70s, the house has consistently featured four main apartments — one on the first floor, two on the second, and one on the third. And there have been no large refurbishment projects to the building since; most appliances, architecture, structural elements, and landscaping have largely stayed the same.
Personally, I do not regret leasing my apartment at 333 Richmond Road in the slightest. The pros outweigh the cons any day. I love having friends stop by on their midnight trek to Wawa or after a long night at bars. If I’m running to a 10 a.m. class at 9:50 a.m., it only takes two to three minutes to reach the Sunken Gardens.
No, it’s not as furnished as most off-campus options. The appliances are outdated and very basic. White paint covers any imperfections. However, it’s cute. It’s my slice of New York City in Williamsburg (Virginia, not Brooklyn), with light streaming in the windows falling over my plants. You can’t have high standards to live here; it isn’t Midtown Apartments. It may not be perfect, and it may not be modern, but it’s perfect for me.
JUSTIN SHERLOCK // FLAT HAT MAGAZINE