By Allison Brophy Champion
Nov 16, 2012
This charming country compound at 45 Close Road provides the ultimate waterfront getaway with an equestrian flair. The four-bedroom clapboard Colonial, listed at $4.999 million, sits on 4.6 acres overlooking Wilshire Pond on a lot that includes an antique barn guest house, a paddock barn for horses and a boathouse with a dock.
“The contemporary, clean-lined design of this home is perfect for its country setting, reminiscent of the Hamptons, Nantucket or The Berkshires,” said listing agent Barbara Wells with Prudential Connecticut Realty.
Built in 1900 off Round Hill Road in Greenwich backcountry, the sophisticated main residence at 45 Close Road was modernized using green standards in 2010 and features bronze-clad windows, cathedral ceilings and white oak floors. The three-bathroom, two-level home offers oak built-ins throughout, including cabinets, closets and drawers as well as a gourmet kitchen with cozy under-cabinet lighting, a 10-foot marble center island with seating for four, and a wine refrigerator.
French doors off the kitchen lead to a deck overlooking Wilshire Pond. A formal dining area, living room, two bedrooms and a full bath complete the first floor of the park-like property off Round Hill Road. A secluded master suite situated on the second floor provides a soothing retreat with its large panoramic window and cathedral ceiling. The master ncludes a dual-entrance shower, a jetted tub and a vanity area with a soaking sink.
Outside, the idyllic property offers myriad recreation opportunities such as dock fishing in trout-stocked waters. A historic barn on the property spans 5,000 square feet and is suitable as a second residence, an artist’s studio or garage. The second barn has a paddock and is zoned for six horses, according to Wells. A lovely courtyard provides space for reflection adjacent to a sweeping lawn and view the pond.
Wells markets the property, saying, “Surrounded by palatial estates in prestigious Greenwich backcountry, this jewel box is perfect for those who want to live carefree and elegant 55 minutes from Manhattan.”
Wilshire Pond borrows its name from a Greenwich family involved in horseback riding, a perfect marriage to the home’s paddock barn.
The house is located just steps from the pond, among whose namesakes were backcountry horse enthusiasts, according to a May 12, 2011, article in the Greenwich Citizen by Norma Bartol, “Granddaughter unearths history of horse show.” The article tells of the 1914 founding of the Greenwich Riding and Trails Association and Greenwich Horse Show and mentions one of the Wilshire clan, offering a peek into the area’s equestrian yesteryear.
“The association’s early years represented a fine time for horses in our town,” wrote Bartol. “Large estates, open fields and acres of farmland stretching down to Deer Park provided uninterrupted miles of bridle trails. Four-in-hand coaches, pulled by high-stepping horses found in the Gimbel and Joseph Wilshire carriage houses in backcountry, would arrive at shows.”
The GRTA exists today with a mission of preserving, protecting and maintaining open space and 150 miles of riding trails as well as fostering horsemanship in Greenwich, according to the group’s website, www.thegrta.org.
Greenwich boasts a 200-year-old trail system that “holds together the mosaic of green space” through the town, according to the GRTA. Trails maintained by the association traverse land owned by numerous private landowners as well as Audubon Greenwich, Greenwich Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, the Boy Scouts of America and the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich.
The GRTA owns a 92-acre land conservation property at The Nichols Nature Preserve, an area of meadows, forest, ponds and swamps that is open to all nature enthusiasts, according to www.thegrta.org.
Listing agent: Barbara Wells, Prudential Connecticut Realty, 203-869-0500
