Exclusive: This $14 Million Equestrian Estate in New Jersey Just Listed for the First Time in 40 Years
In Manhattan, $14 million could buy you a glitzy condo overlooking Central Park or a five-bedroom townhouse on the Upper East Side. However, if you travel about an hour outside the city to New Jersey’s Somerset Hills, that sum gets you a nearly 100-year-old equestrian estate that spans a whopping 77 acres of farmlands and rolling hills.
Ellistan, as the stately spread is known, was originally designed in 1931 when Francis Edgar Johnson and his family commissioned architect A. Musgrave Hyde to build the palatial pad. The storied residence is built using locally quarried stone and has only changed hands three times in its lifespan. The seller, Hank Slack, the former CEO at Minorco and current chairman of Terra Resources, has owned the estate for the last 40 years.
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According to the listing, represented by Ashley Christus of Turpin Realtors/Forbes Global Properties, the country home is somewhat of a local landmark in the community. Since the early ‘30s, Ellistan has hosted the annual Essex Fox Hounds Thanksgiving Day Meet. It’s also been featured in two different publications, including New Jersey Country Houses: The Somerset Hills, Volume II, and Gardens of the Garden State.
“Ellistan combines an unpretentious spirit with one-of-a-kind details,” notes the listing. “Every room is used and useful within the extensive footprint, and it works just as well for multiple generations living together as it does for a couple.”
The courtly mansion measures roughly 10,000 square feet and takes its inspiration from a Norman-style manor with a steep-pitched roof and tall chimneys. Slack tapped a couple of legendary (and now deceased) interior design legends, Sister Parish, Albert Hadley, and Mica Ertegun, to do the place up in a distinguished manner that merges classical design principles with modern amenities. There are tons of oversized windows and large glass doors that offer sweeping views of the surrounding fields. Among the dwelling’s more notable features are a sun-drenched drawing room, a swanky library with a wet bar, a spacious formal dining room, and a fireside family room. Other highlights are a gourmet chef’s kitchen, a sauna, a gym, and nine total bedrooms.
Parts of the property have been updated by the current owners, including the entry courtyard, backyard swimming pool, and driveway, which were the handiwork of New York-based firm Innocenti & Webel. The grounds, initially designed by Shelby Mellick, were further developed by the British garden designer Penelope Hobhouse and offer a guest cottage, three apartments in the stable complex, a riding arena, and a tennis court.
Click here to see more photos of Ellistan.
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