Nestled by the shore in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Castle Hill on the Crane Estate is a tribute to the grand seaside properties of the past. Today it offers visitors the chance to wander through lush gardens and a 59-room Stuart-style mansion.The area where Castle Hill is located was referred to by Native Americans as “Agawam” for its rich fishery. In 1637, John Winthrop, Jr., took ownership of Castle Hill, and for more than two centuries a line of owners settled down on the land and farmed it. But it wasn’t until the 1880s, when J.B. Brown arrived, that the estate began to evolve into a true gentleman’s farm. Brown enhanced roadways and plantings while transforming his modest farmhouse into a rambling Shingle Style cottage which today serves as The Inn at Castle Hill. The property developed further under the hand of Richard T. Crane, Jr., who purchased it in 1910. Complete with farm and estate buildings, designed grounds and gardens, and diverse natural areas, Castle Hill was even home to an Italian Renaissance Revival villa that was later replaced in 1928 with today’s Great House.
Guided tours of the landscaped gardens and the Great House, which is furnished with period antiques, are available from late May through October 9. The grounds also include Crane Beach and Crane Wildlife Refuge, where you might spot deer, fox, turkey, songbirds, great horned owls and red-tailed hawks. Four miles of trails provide the ideal terrain for moderate hiking.
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Castle Hill on the Crane Estate Vegetable Garden photo courtesy Jumping Rocks Photography.
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