On the Market: A Fairy Tale Compound in Tyringham
Complete with a "Gingerbread House," an ethereal silo studio, and a lily pond, this Western Mass. estate is a dream come true.
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
75 Main Road # 77, Tyringham
Price: $1,295,000
Size: 7,750 square feet
Bedrooms: 7
Baths: 6
It’s hard to say whether you’re more likely to find a hobbit or a hungry old witch living inside the many dwellings of this mystical property, but it’s safe to say that the estate could easily double as a movie set for any fairy tale.
The four-bedroom Colonial home dates back to 1750, but the more surreal structures started popping up in the 1920s, when English sculptor Sir Henry Hudson Kitson (see: the Lexington minuteman statue) began working his magic on the Colonial’s accompanying barn. Thinking back to the iconic cottages of the English countryside, he originally set out to recreate a thatched roof for his barn-turned-sculpting studio, until a botched crop of Rye led him to a new idea: He would use asphalt instead. Over 12 years, he cut shingles by hand to mimic the rustic, wavy appearance of a thatched roof, eventually resulting in an incredible canopy weighing in at 80 tons.
Of course, the wondrous features don’t stop there. The so-called “Gingerbread House,” which currently hosts elegant weddings and events, also sports stained glass windows and towering ceilings. But there’s so much more. A wood shingled “country cottage” offers additional living space, as do two cylindrical abodes—one made from a relocated and renovated grain silo, and the other built from reclaimed barn wood after Kitson took such a liking to his first silo success—which at the moment make for lovely honeymoon suites. With their tulle canopied beds and “princess in a tower” insinuations, they might just make your fairy tale wedding dreams come true. Wayfarers simply looking for a romantic weekend getaway can also rent the silo room through Airbnb, if they can book a date—it’s the most sought-after Massachusetts listing on the site, after all.
And even for buyers looking to purchase a personal compound rather than an event venue or B&B, this property has a way of injecting a bit of magical realism into its dwellers’ lives. The grounds, of course, comprise pebbled paths, exotic plantings, and a lily pond, among other unique details. Wandering around the nearly four acres, you could just as easily be in rural England or the Berkshires, the 18th century or the 21st—and that’s the magic of it all.
For information, contact Steven Weisz, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, williampitt.com.
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
Photo by Ren Nikerson via William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including architects, builders, kitchen and bath experts, lighting designers, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.
