On the Market: Elegant, Loaded Colonial Estate in Gwynedd Valley
Three famous names are associated with this manor house, which has been expanded over the years into a sumptuous place for your family and your friends.
608 Pennlyn Pike, Lower Gwynedd, Pa. 19002 | Bright MLS images via Coldwell Banker Preferred
The story of this magnificent house for sale in Gwynedd Valley has four chapters and a footnote.
The first chapter begins in 1922, when Smith Barney founder Alfred Smith put together Meadow Farm as a present for his bride. The estate included a gatehouse, stable and a sprawling, 16,000-square-foot manor house.
Chapter Two is set about a decade later. By this time, the estate had passed into the hands of the Lippincott family of publishing fame. While they owned it, one of the guests they welcomed was Maria von Trapp. While here, she worked on “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers,” the book that served as the inspiration for the movie musical “The Sound of Music.” (This is the footnote.)
Chapter Three opens with the sale of Meadow Farm in 1985. The purchaser subdivided the estate and called in Trueblood Builders to split the manor house into two more manageable dwellings.
What you see here is the conclusion of Chapter Four, which consists of the addition of a rear wing in 2006 that gave this home a spectacular kitchen/great room combination, a new enlarged rear patio and a touch of European style.
The resulting 7,902-square-foot house and its 2.16-acre lot offer room enough to fit in a wealth of luxurious amenities to go with its historic elements.
Foyer
The latter include Mercer tiles in abundance — in the foyer, in the main floor hallway, and surrounding three of this house’s six fireplaces.
The former are almost too numerous to count.
Butler’s pantry and catering kitchen
There’s the butler’s pantry with catering kitchen and wine storage. There’s the wet bar behind sliding doors opposite the living room. There’s the temperature-controlled wine cellar.
Kitchen and breakfast room
Breakfast and great rooms
There’s the kitchen/breakfast room/great room combination, whose semicircular rear wall is comprised of huge windows that look out upon the patio and grounds.
Master bedroom
Master bathroom
There’s the master suite, which has a closet as big as many bedrooms, a sitting room and a huge master bath with soaking tub and shower. Both the bedroom and the sitting room have fireplaces.
Exterior rear
There’s the slate rear patio, which has two distinct spaces for outdoor dining and a built-in grill.
And there’s the pool, pool house and tennis court.
All of this now stands ready for you to write its next chapter.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 5
BATHS: 4 full, 1 half
SQUARE FEET: 7,902
SALE PRICE: $2,495,000
OTHER STUFF: The three-car garage also contains a changing room. The estate property is surrounded by 42 acres of protected open land in the hands of Natural Lands.
608 Pennlyn Pike, Lower Gwynedd, Pa. 19002 [Nicole Miller-Desantis | Coldwell Banker Preferred]
Updated Oct. 19th, 3:15 p.m., to correct the chronology.
