On the Market: Expanded Classic Farmhouse in Cochranville
Go ahead: Guess when this genuine-article wood-and-stone farmhouse was built. Here, everything new is old again.
That’s a lovely old 18th-century Chester County farmhouse, isn’t it? Think again. Then visit 1940 Bryson Rd., Cochranville, Pa. 19330, and find out for yourself. | Photos: Vistabee via Compass
Compass Real Estate agent Liz Feldman dropped me a line last month to tell me, “My team has a Chester County farmhouse on 21 acres.”
That sounded promising enough; Chester County is loaded with beautiful old farmhouses, some of which date to the 18th century and just about all of which are incredibly picturesque. Many of them sit atop hills that offer splendid views of the river and creek valleys that lace the county’s southern reaches.
This Cochranville farmhouse for sale is one of those beautiful old farmhouses.
Or is it?
It certainly looks every inch the part. It has a classic slate pent-eaved roof that spans the gable ends of the house, and it has a standing-seam metal roof over its wraparound front porch. It has a sturdy frame made of two-by-six studs.
Living room
And it has large three-section windows in its living and dining rooms. The side sections are authentically vintage double-hung divided-light windows. But what are those picture windows in the center doing here?
Those windows are the first giveaway that what you see here is a modern house, not an old one.
This handsome house was built in 1987 with a marriage of traditional and modern elements.
Dining room and kitchen
Most of the millwork you see in this house was performed on site, and native hardwoods abound throughout, from the cedar siding on the outside to the random-width cherry floorboards on the main floor to the white ash beaded-board interior doors to the exposed beams in the ceilings on all floors.
Kitchen
More native hardwoods can be found in the living room, which has walnut cabinets, and in the kitchen, which has cherry cabinets and walnut counters. Its appliances, however, couldn’t be more modern, from its professional-grade Viking range on down.
Owner’s bedroom
The other creature comforts are also a mix of the old, like the clawfoot tub in the owner’s-suite bedroom — and the modern, like the soaking tub in this house’s extension.
Great room
Yes, extension: the great room on the main floor was added a little later, and while it matches the main house’s 18th-century American exterior, its inside is a little more Tudor in its inspiration, as its ceiling support beams should make clear. It too has a modern giveaway inside it: the skylights, which are installed on the roof’s back slope so as not to mar the authenticity of the front elevation.
Most of the metalwork, including the antique lockbox on the front door, the rat-tail hinges on the kitchen cabinets and the light fixture in the dining room, is handmade.
Basement game room
The Cochranville farmhouse for sale is also totally modern beneath its skin, with plywood sheathing covered with Tyvek insulation between its frame and its siding. It has up-to-date climate control systems too.
And it sits atop a hill with a fantastic view of the Octoraro River valley, spanning Chester and Lancaster counties. Sit on its front porch, take a sip of your favorite beverage, close your eyes, and you might just imagine yourself back in the 18th century.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 4
BATHS: 2 full, 1 half
SQUARE FEET: 2,862
SALE PRICE: $999,000
OTHER STUFF: The 21-acre lot is actually divided into two parcels. The house itself sits on the smaller, 8.9-acre lot, while the larger 12.5-acre parcel is leased for farming. The lease may be terminated with six months’ notice. The listing agent listed its location as in Atglen by mistake.
1940 Bryson Rd., Cochranville, Pa. 19330 [Liz Feldman| Compass]
