Searles Castle Still On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 3rd 2011 at 1:01AM

A recent MSN article prompted me to take another look at a former estate of the day which has had a price cut. I've actually been hearing about this one since 2007 when it first hit the market. Searles Castle in Great Barrington, Massachusetts has 40 rooms and seven turrets. The home, which had most recently served as a private school went up for sale for $15 million back then but is now listed for $12.5 million with William Raveis.

Searles Castle is one of two in the New England region (the other is in New Hampshire) that bear the name of Edward Searles. Mary Hopkins, the widow of railroad tycoon Mark Hopkins commissioned the castle which was built in 1888. She hired interior decorator Edward Searles for the project, and they married a year before it was finished (she was 22 years older than he). After she died he stayed in the castle for a time and then after his death it became private private school and then conference center among other businesses and was most recently the John Dewey Academy.

The castle has 36 fireplaces, a dungeon, and more than 50 rooms for a total of around 60,000 square feet. It could be turned into a resort or a spa or perhaps a private residence once again. The finishes here are amazing imported marble, accentuated fireplaces, carved wood ceilings, a Louis XIV drawing room with details in gold and original painted ceiling, music room with 42-ft dome ceiling, a slate roof, hipped and conical roofs accentuated by finials, chimneys, gables and turrets. Like Hazard Castle which I profiled yesterday, this one has been stuck on the market for a while partly because it would probably be best suited for a business rather than as a private residence and because it will likely cost a lot of money to renovate.

UPDATE: The price was recently dropped to $11 million.

Gallery: Searles Castle

Tags: castle for sale, massachusetts real estate, searles castle

Filed under: Estates

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Spectacular Bid Feb 3rd 2011 12:10PM

It's always been a fascinating piece of property and all things considered the price isn't insane for what the buyer gets. The taxes and upkeep would drain even the most healthy of substantial fortunes. I have to concur that I find it highly unlikely someone will buy it with the intent to make it a private residence.

Notable Berkshire estates have gone for wanting since the real estate bubble burst. Some truly lovely properties have been dropping in price (at a fraction of Searles) and in move in ready condition but still no buyers. Two on the market examples (albeit neither as imposing as a castle):

Composer Cole Porter's Williamstown estate:
http://altonwestall.com/2010/03/1425-main-street/

Singer Nat King Cole's surving wife owned this lovely property until the late 1990's
http://www.sothebysrealty.com/en/PropertySearchResults.aspx?N=12+149+4294930767&curr=USD

As much as it would make for desirable addition to the Trustees of Reservations I doubt Searles will ever become an historic site for tours due to a lack of funds. The most likely buyer will be either a religious buyer or a special school, both of which have been types of organizations owning many Berkshire cottages. It could be a viable contender for being a tasteful condo project - like Oronoque in Stockbridge.