House Lust: A Castle in the Woods in Foster is on the Market

The 110-acre property features a brick chateau, an infinity pool, historic stone walls and an early 1800s cemetery.
Casey Nilsson,

When Susan Moore and her co-listing agent, Chad Dupuis, visited the Castle property in Foster for the first time, they walked its private trails, explored its historic cemetery, noted the Colonial-era root cellar in the middle of an active hayfield, spotted a heron’s nest in a bog — you know, the things rural paradises are made of.

The property, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is known locally as the Castle for the 5,500-square-foot brick chateau-style house atop a hill with a winding drive down to Johnson Road. The house was built in 1974, replacing the original Colonial-era farmhouse. And castle-like it is, with three bedroom suites, four additional bedrooms and five baths over more than 5,500 square feet, about 800 of which were added in a 2005 renovation.

“When you walk in that front door and see that center staircase, it’s just a beautiful first impression,” says Moore. “But then you go into the house and it’s: ‘But wait, there’s more! But wait, there’s more!’ ”

She notes how easy it is to get lost in the house, and that her sellers sometimes use their cell phones to track each other down. Moore knew the sellers’ parents, both of whom passed away. At one point, the property housed ten people: The original owners, their children and their grandchildren.

“The seller and his wife have college-aged kids; that’s why they decided to sell it,” she says. “It’s a lot of property to take care of for just a couple of people.”

Moore estimates the right buyer would be looking for a family compound — the land is not sub-dividable, per town zoning rules, but up to three structures may occupy any given property if they’re built to house family members — or land for horses and farming. She also envisions it as a bed and breakfast, given its close proximity to the Foster Country Club and restaurants in town and nearby Putnam, Connecticut.

Lovers of castles in the woods, here’s your House Lust:

For more information on 41 Johnson Road in Foster, contact Coldwell Banker Coastal Homes’ Susan Moore at 401-480-6242 or Chad Dupuis at 401-261-2218 or visit coldwellbankerhomes.com.

 

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