On the Market: 1849 Horse Farm in Chester Springs

The 1849 farmhouse at right and the large barn at left form the heart of Burning Tree Farm. This equestrian nirvana is located at 1830 St. Matthews Rd., Chester Springs, Pa. 19425 | Bright MLS images via BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors

Rock Hill Farm, which we featured earlier this week, encompasses some 228 acres in northern Chester County. It’s currently on the market for somewhere north of $38 million.

The Bryn Coed Farm, also in northern Chester County horse country, covered 1,505 acres at its height. Natural Lands bought the farm from the Dietrich family, sold off two-thirds of it with conservation easements, and kept some 500 acres as a nature preserve. Were someone to attempt to buy it — thankfully, an impossibility now — they’d have to shell out far more than $38 million.

Burning Tree Farm, which you see here, sits next door to Bryn Coed. It spreads across a mere 57.4 acres. This means it’s in the seven-figure price range (not eight).

Original front elevation

And if you love equestrian sports, you’ll love this property, for it has everything you need to raise and train horses for shows, hunts, races or work.

It also has what you need to raise your family in comfort.

Original front porch

The heart of the farm is the large farmhouse that dates to 1849. You should be able to see from the photo of its original front facade that it got added to sometime after that.

Rear patio, now front entrance

Today, the L-shaped original house and its addition frame a rear patio that now serves as the house’s main entrance because the driveway leading from Saint Matthews Road to the farm ends there.

Living room

Inside, the house retains its full measure of 19th-century charm. But that charm is actually a little newer than you think, for it was augmented and enhanced by noted Chester County artist and woodworker Wharton Esherick.

Dining room

The curved cherry staircase that separates the living and dining rooms is one of Esherick’s enhancements, giving a contemporary accent to the traditionally rustic space. The original kitchen hearth fireplace survives in the dining room.

Kitchen

The modern kitchen occupies the addition’s main floor. It’s nicely outfitted and has room for dining as well.

Primary bedroom

The primary bedroom sits atop the kitchen. It has two large walk-in closets and room for a sitting area.

Bathroom

All four of the second-floor bedrooms share a midcentury-vintage hall bath in excellent condition.

Barn

Next to the farmhouse is a large barn containing 15 stalls, a large feed area, a wash room and a spacious tack room with its own kitchenette.

Horse stalls

Eight separate pastures and a large outdoor arena give the horses plenty of room to exercise and show off their skills. Another 25 or so acres beyond the pastures are currently being farmed.

Tack room

The farm’s location combined with the house’s hilltop site mean you get excellent views of the protected countryside from your home.

If you’re looking for a place like this 1849 Chester Springs farm house for sale, you probably don’t care whether you’re convenient to anywhere else. But you’re not far from Kimberton and its excellent natural food store, and when you feel like going out on the town, Phoenixville is just a little further down the road.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 4

BATHS: 1 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 3,104

SALE PRICE: $2,630,000

OTHER STUFF: Burning Tree Farm is protected by an Act 319 farmland preservation easement. Act 319 allows owners of protected property to subdivide up to one-third of the total acreage for development. According to the listing agent, this would allow you to carve 20-plus house lots out of the land and place the rest under a stricter conservation easement.

1830 St. Matthews Rd., Chester Springs, Pa. 19425 [Holly Gross | BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors]

Updated Nov. 13th, 1:39 p.m., to correct the address in the listing link.