Timeless beauty in the Stanwich Historic District
Offered to the market, this antique home offers a storybook look at Greenwich’s past, with an eye to the future
The eight-bedroom antique Brush-Lockwood House at 295 Taconic Road, Greenwich—a landmark that is part of the Stanwich Historic District—is offered to the market for $3.25 million. Realtor Carolyn Petersen, an associate broker with Houlihan Lawrence’s Greenwich brokerage, is the listing agent.
In 2014, Rocky Bryant settled his family into the home and community. He spoke with Greenwich Time about the history of the district and their beloved home.
The original house dates back to 1792, but it was significantly transformed at various times throughout the centuries since. In 1867, the owners added a third floor and a mansard-style roof. The barn—built in 1794 as a keep for farm animals—was converted to a carriage house around the same time, Bryant explained.
In the 1920s, the owners installed electricity and indoor plumbing. In the 1950s, the owners structurally improved the house, adding steel beams for support, and renovated the interiors in the style of the time.
Understanding how the house evolved over time creates “a history book of construction,” Bryant said. “It’s a solid house that has lasted the test of time.”
When the Bryants took ownership, they wanted to “roll back the clock” by restoring some of the original details, including the antique windows.
The existing cedar roof at the time was showing wear, so they took the opportunity to rebuild the third floor with the help of structural engineers, and returned the roof to slate.
The house is situated among 5.20 acres. The owners improved the landscaping, as well, adding a stone wall to create attractive separation between the yard and road. Over time, they introduced evergreens and plants for color and texture.
A wide covered front porch invites you into the home, which has three full levels and 3,454 square feet of living space. Among the interiors, there are fine
features and finishes, such as wide-plank floorboards, plaster walls, a wood-burning fireplace and built-ins. One of the relics of the 1700s-era house is the footprint of the original kitchen in the basement, positioned there in the interest of keeping it cool.
The first floor comprises an entry foyer, formal living and dining rooms, a family room and eat-in kitchen. Four of the eight bedrooms are on the second level, including the primary suite. The remaining four bedrooms are on the third floor, affording plenty of space to accommodate a large family, guests and perhaps live-in staff.
For luxury home buyers in need of more than one home office, this house has options. Bryant’s wife kept a home office on the second level. He worked from an office on the third level and appreciated its quiet and privacy. Traveling into downtown Greenwich to his professional office required just a 12-minute commute.
For outdoor dining and entertaining, a stone patio sits off the back of the house, overlooking the backyard. The antique barn provided an array of utility for their family. Besides the garage bay, Bryant created a woodworking workshop. For special occasions, they could use the wide-open*
27-by-24-foot space for parties. It also has a large loft for storage.
“With the doors both open, you have a really cool indoor-outdoor space,” Bryant said.
“In the back field behind the barn, you can hear the tranquil sound of a stream that runs along the property line and goes down to a pond on our neighbor’s property,” he added. Bryant noted that they considered an addition to the main house, the construction of a second home on the property, and the installation of a pool in the meadow behind the barn—
creating a compound. Their future home plans have since changed, but those plans are available to a buyer, should they like to execute that vision. Asked about the quality of life in the Stanwich Historic District, Bryant recounted how when they first moved in, more than a dozen neighbors came by to welcome them to the neighborhood. He spoke of annual neighborhood parties, family-friendly trick-or-treating at Halloween, the sights and sounds of children playing and riding their bikes, and neighborhoods who support and look out for
one another. “It’s like a little club back here,” he said.
In recent years, some of the homes have been sold to new families, revitalizing the community. Though the acreage of the lots provides a sense of at-home privacy, there is a sense of being part of a neighborhood. Having families with children in the community meant their own kids had plenty of friends and playdates.