Live like a royal without any of the responsibility.
“There are no homes of this size and grandeur located within a 5-minute drive to downtown Greenwich and a mere 45 minutes from Manhattan,” listing agent Stephanie Bo Li told The Post of Greenwich, Conn.’s Hemlock Castle, which is seeking $11.8 million.
According to a recent insurance valuation, Li noted, rebuilding the estate today would cost roughly $15 million.
The 14-bedroom home, Li added, is “the largest castle in Greenwich” (although far from the only one in Connecticut) and “unlike most other castles that have dark small rooms or a medieval-feel to its interior, Hemlock features magnificent-sized rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the home with natural light.”
The fortress of a residence was built in 1913 by prominent architect James C. Green and Israel Putnam, a direct descendant of a Revolutionary War general of the same name known for riding through the streets of Greenwich to warn residents of the Brits’ impending attack. Originally called the Freestone Castle, it has had numerous owners over the years, including Harry H. Frazee, the former Boston Red Sox owner who traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 in 1919.
Its current owner, a Ms. Fong, bought the home in 2017, and is selling it so she can relocate closer to her children, who are moving away for school, Li told The Post. One of Ms. Fong’s favorite features of living in the castle is the way its stone structure stays cool in the summer and retains warmth in the winter.
On top of its naturally climate-controlling composition, the estate — which is “perched on a secluded crest” — also boasts a screening room, a stone veranda with a built-in grill, a modern gym with a “deluxe aerial yoga hammock,” eight fireplaces and 4.18 acres of “park-like” grounds. In addition to the 13,500-square-foot main residence, there is also a carriage house and a staff apartment, each approximately 3,400 square feet each. Original details, including ornate wood and stone craftsmanship, have been preserved throughout.
