Special Country Properties Search the MLS Cheri and Martin Woodard 540-987-8500 37C Main Street Sperryville, VA 22740 cheri@cheriwoodard.com martin@cheriwoodard.com  | Castle Ridge Farm SOLD 62 Hope Hill RoadCastleton $1,350,000 SOLD
Nestled in a cozy hollow looking up to over 147 acres of fields and woodlands, Castle Ridge is a “connoisseurs” country house, every room filled with tradition and style offering the warm comforts of modern country living. The house located in Castleton, VA offers a variety of possibilities: from farming to gardening, from horseback riding to long delightful walks in mature woods, from casual living to sophisticated entertaining.
First built circa 1850, as a traditional upper scale two over two home with a broad back porch, it had from the start generous proportions, solid pine floors, large windows and beautiful stone fireplaces. When it was totally renovated by the current owners in 1970, modernity and sophisticated comfort were introduced in the construction. Floors were gently refinished, beams were left exposed, bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces were optimized and hearths were brought up to standard. A European sensibility guaranteed the conservation of the classy and elegant simplicity of the historical original, avoiding the artificial “luxury” of some remodeled interiors, and favoring instead an authentic and classic Virginia country style.
The main level includes the traditional center hallway. Straight ahead is a reading room with floor to ceiling shelves and an outstanding view of the rear terraced lawn, impressive landscaping and rolling fields beyond. To the right, the formal but inviting living room features a stone fireplace and a piano room that can be converted to a guest bedroom. The master suite has three ample closets, a majestic stone fireplace, and a private office/nursery with another set of closets next to a functional bathroom.
The lower level is the intimate heart of the house, cozy and compact it consists of a simple and efficient kitchen with rich wood cabinetry, next to the dining and gathering area which faces a fieldstone fireplace. The exposed stonework and built in shelves for books, collectibles and art make it the perfect place for the family to enjoy food, company and conversation. Large windows in the kitchen and wide French doors in the dining area provide plenty of natural light and access to a grassy terrace that looks out on the barn and the woods beyond and leads to a pergola area covered with wisteria and ideal for al fresco dining in warm or balmy weather.
Just off the interior dining area is a slate floored mudroom that is a handy transition area when coming in from the outdoors. It has ample space for sporting gear, coats, boots and small tools. A bathroom and the laundry room are adjacent to it.
The upper level includes two generous bedrooms, each with a fieldstone fireplace and a full bathroom in between. The large attic, ideal for storing, is off one of the upper bedrooms. Many windows and views fill these spaces with vistas and light.
Entertaining guests has been a tradition for the current owners of Castle Ridge who built an additional independent guest unit apart from the main house. This annex has two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a full bathroom. The bedrooms open onto a wide wooden deck overlooking the pond which is one of the most gracious and beautiful features of this property. Additionally, a short distance away from the central house, there’s a quaint and cozy structure: the old smokehouse, with exposed timber and high ceilings, which can be used as a charming studio/office and includes a sleeping loft.
The lawns around the house, tended and improved for years, have large shade trees while flowering shrubs and perennials provide visual interest in all seasons. Hundreds of trees have been planted in the maintained areas around the home, ponds and barns; over 90 varieties of native and exotic trees add an arboretum-like quality to the landscape.
Willows, maples and interesting evergreens encircle the spring fed two-acre pond, which is cool and deep and stocked with enough bass, blue gill and catfish to provide fishing fun for children and adults.
A sturdy old cattle barn of warm weathered wood with attractive asymmetrical lines is the gateway to the woodlands and working areas of much of the farm. An enclosed arena has served for riding and a room at the barn serves to keep saddles and tackle for the equestrian lover.
On the upper part of the property, adjacent to the parking rotonda there’s a wooden garage-tool-workshop structure.
The most dominant topographic feature of the property is a broad open ridge that basically bisects the farm on a north-south axis. From the top of the ridge, almost the entire farm is laid out before you. There are spectacular views of wooded foothills rolling to the Blue Ridge Mountains on the western horizon. To the west of the ridge, are the main house, pond and gardens surrounded by smaller pastures and a productive hay field. To the east is the wooded portion of the property, which is approximately 75 acres.
The ridge and its sloping flanks include approximately 50 acres of fenced pasture punctuated by copses of shade trees and fence rows. The pastures are currently used for organic grass fed cattle production but it is also ideal for other livestock. It also has excellent potential for a vineyard with good southeastern exposure and sloping terrain for air drainage.
The woodlands are laced with trails for riding, hiking and cross country skiing. With a wide variety of native trees and several semi-open glades, this area is ideal habitat for deer, bear and turkey. For hunting, hiking or solitude the woods offer opportunities for hours of rambling and exploring.
Even in Rappahannock County known for its fine country properties, Castle Ridge Farm is a jewel of a place, a truly unique opportunity for anybody wanting a timeless, truly special home or country house. The home and property are so well cared for and in such excellent condition that you can move right in.
Castle Ridge is convenient to Warrenton, Culpeper and across the road from the Castleton Festival and Chateauville Foundation which bring world class-performances to the Theatre House at Castleton Farms. The Shenandoah National Park is only 20 minutes away and an amazing array of waterfalls, canyons, trails and hikes await you. Rappahannock County has many fine restaurants and wineries that will allow you an array of fun activities every weekend.
MRIS# RP7809202 CAAR#497914
Click here to view platClick here to view and print two-page brochure.Click here for directions and Google map.Click on an image below for more information and a larger view: View Larger Map (Green arrow is approximate location of property) DirectionsFrom Sperryville take 522 (Zachary Taylor Highway) South for 6.3 miles. Turn left on Scrabble Road and continue for 4.2 miles. Scrabble Road turns into Hope Hill Road. 0.3 miles and the property is on the right with locked gate at entrance. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - 24 hour notice required. |
