Rich in history and character
Gardens, landscaping designed by Charles Downing Lay
Majestically sited on over three acres across from Brooklawn Country Club, the fieldstone manor known as Ledgeoaks is rich in history and character. The home has been kept to its original footprint and proudly displays the original architectural drawings from 1926 in its formal dining room.
It was the home’s elegance, architecture and history that attracted the current owners.
“Ledgeoaks is historically unique and its history has been preserved with each owner. We are the third owners and the story needs to be continued,” the owner stated. A book of the home’s history sits in the entry foyer.
The original property draws its history back to industrialist, Jonathan Godfrey, who carved a portion of his land to create a family estate, called The Oaks, for the Fairfield/ Bridgeport Bassick family. In 1926, Bassick divided the property and broke ground on what was to become Ledgeoaks. There is a commemorative 1926 penny placed in the mortar between the stones to acknowledge the year the house was built. In 1971, Dr. Philip Corso, a local surgeon, bought Ledgeoaks as a wedding gift for his wife Betty. They raised their children in the home until they sold it to the current owners in 2015.
The grounds include formal gardens and landscaping designed by famed New York landscape architect Charles Downing Lay featuring shade, chestnut and towering oak trees – some dating over 100 years old. Exquisitely peppered throughout the property are evergreens, perennials and specimen plantings.
When the owners purchased the property in 2015, they embarked on its one and only renovation. Their mission was to restore and emphasize the detail of the original architecture, along with the desire to modernize the kitchen and baths and add a second master bedroom. They enlisted the services of Farrow and Ball of Dorset, England to consult on the selection of custom paints and wallpaper to match color and design used at the turn of the century and blend them with the look and feel of the house.
“The stone walls, wide staircases and hallways make this home reminiscent of another era. Yet, it does not feel vast, it has a sense of home,” the owner explains.
Entering the front door, guests are welcomed to a grand, frontto- back center hall foyer. To one side is the original spiral staircase with antique French chandelier and wrought iron balusters with gilded medallions of the Town of Fairfield’s flower, the Dogwood.
Just across the stairway is a library with one of the home’s five working fireplaces.
Random width pegged oak floors highlight the living room along with another fireplace and five sets of French doors that lead to the sweeping lawns overlooking the 17th and 18th fairways of Brooklawn Country Club. There is also a covered stone portico overlooking a perennial garden.
The formal dining room with fireplace is surrounded by handpainted Dutch tiles. A deep bay window allows views of the lawn and the 18th fairway. Tucked off the dining room is a four- season stone sunroom.
The kitchen was re- designed and updated with the assistance of Kitchens by Deane, incorporating modern- day amenities while keeping with the style of the era.
Features include an island with bar seating, Calcutta marble counters, custom cabinetry and high- end appliances including a Wolfe range and Sub- Zero refrigerator. Next to the dining area is a wet bar that overlooks the fireplace and family room.
The second floor presents two master suites, a guest room suite, two bedrooms and bath and an office. The main master suite includes a sitting room with a working fireplace, built- in drawers and several closets including a cedar closet all overlooking the 18th Fairway, all leading to French doors and a private balcony.