Presented by Sotheby’s International Realty.
Photographs by Steve Rossi.
HILLANDALE AT A GLANCE
= Bedrooms: eight
= Baths: 10 full, four half
= Amenities: Lake; ponds; formal gardens with children’s maze; lit Australian-surface tennis court; complex of outbuildings that includes four private guest/staff residences, a two-story carriage house and two barns plus garages; two elevators; unusual outdoor features, including a large-scale chess set, a French garden folly and an actual Native American teepee.
= Price: $75 million
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Peerless in its scope, beauty, and privacy, Hillandale reigns over a sylvan expanse so vast — 262-plus acres — that it embraces two communities (Pound Ridge and North Stamford). From the five-gated entries serving the domain, scenic private roads wind through the pristine landscape to the stately fieldstone manor graced by formal gardens atop a knoll overlooking its own picturesque lake in scenery redolent of the European countryside.
Originally built in 1900, the 20,000-plus-square-foot residence has been luxuriously transformed into an exquisite showplace for grand-scale entertaining. Regal filigreed bronze doors welcome guests to the impressively elegant living environment within, adorned with antique French, Italian and English architectural elements in a rich array of marble, limestone, onyx, mosaic tile, stained glass and lapus lazuli. Eleven antique fireplaces serve as focal points, while large light-filled windows bring in romantic vistas seemingly taken from an artist’s canvas.
The sumptuous grotto-like indoor pool – evocative of San Simeon – complements the lovely pool outdoors, where a lit, Australian-surface tennis court adds another recreational pastime, along with a large chess set, a sandy beach and a cutting garden. A walk through the surrounding gardens fully reveals their magical beauty amid restful water features that include five-acre Lake Susan, several ponds and a cascading fountain. Among the extensive dependencies of the compound are four private guest/staff residences; a two-story carriage house that contains a four-car garage, a wine cellar and a chauffeur’s apartment; and two barns plus garages for six more cars.
Unusual details make the estate truly memorable. An arbored colonnade leads past a lily pond to a greenhouse. Artistic formal gardens with elegant statuary highlight a charming children’s maze and sculpted parterres by the main terrace and above the indoor pool. A French garden folly commands inspiring views. Other delights include an authentic Native American teepee built by the Smithsonian Institution.
Serenely situated, Hillandale seems far removed from New York City, yet is only about 50 miles from Manhattan. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the area’s largest and most significant estates, which takes its place among the world’s truly great homes.
For more, contact Joseph Barbieri at 203-618-3112 or joseph.barbieri@sothebyshomes.com or Jim Renwick at 914-234-9261 or jim.renwick@renwicksothebysrealty.com.
