Edgemont is a Jeffersonian jewel surrounded by 572 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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On the market for the second time in over 400 years, the property was recently upgraded in a decade-long restoration project, which includes the addition of an award-winning gin distillery, Newton House Gin, and a speakeasy in the converted stables.
Designed by architect Steven Gambrel and featured in Architectural Digest, the property was once the summer home of Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States (1881-1885).
Architect John Hunt of Northampton based the design on Buckingham House, which today forms the central portion of Buckingham Palace, the Queen's famous residence.
It was named for the straight, flat section of road once a “fair mile” to test out a horse and carriage; later it became a notorious speed trap for the pioneer motorist, and today it is a part of the A307. The famous AA salute is said to originate here, not out of courtesy, but rather to warn drivers of hidden police patrol.
In 1994, the property was purchased by New York designer Joanne de Guardiola and her husband Roberto. This timeless Southampton property has remained essentially untouched since the turn of the century, and de Guardiola wanted the house to “retain its Golden Age magnificence” while updating it “in every way for a modern family”.
The restored 7-bedroom ivy-clad house is set on a 4-acre property filled with hundred year old trees and a river-fed pond; a large, sunny terrace creates an ambiance perfect for sipping rosé in the afternoon.