Inside Sally Jessy Raphael’s $5.5 Million Elizabethan Style Estate in New York

Pawling, New York, United States

Welcome to Elmwood Farm, an extraordinary 25.5-acre equestrian estate perched atop the prestigious crest of Quaker Hill in Pawling, New York. This magnificent property embodies timeless grandeur, historical importance, and unbounded possibilities, offering a rare opportunity to own a true architectural treasure that seamlessly marries Elizabethan splendor with serene Hudson Valley countryside living.

At the heart of Elmwood Farm stands its crown jewel: a 43-room Elizabethan-style manor house spanning approximately 15,000 square feet. Built in 1860 and expanded with lavish additions through the Gilded Age, this three-story mansion features seventeen bedrooms, nine full baths, and four half baths, providing ample space for private living, grand entertaining, and versatile future use such as a boutique inn, cultural retreat, or exclusive corporate compound.

Approaching via a long gated driveway lined with towering mature trees, guests arrive at the imposing porte-cochère, where stone pillars support a sweeping archway, granting gracious covered access to the manor’s main entrance. From here, the estate opens onto a sunset-facing veranda with panoramic views across rolling meadows, manicured lawns, paddocks, woodlands, and distant mountain ridges. The grounds themselves evoke an English countryside estate, blending structured formal gardens, tree groves, and open pastures to create an atmosphere of tranquil seclusion.

Stepping into the manor’s grand foyer reveals a breathtaking showcase of craftsmanship rarely replicated today. The hand-carved figured-oak staircase immediately commands attention with its 30 elaborate newel posts, each topped with a whimsically carved animal peeking out, from owls and foxes to squirrels and rabbits – delightful details that once enchanted children of visiting families and still mesmerize guests today. Throughout the estate, original hand-carved pilasters, ceiling beams, Gothic arches, and elaborate moldings speak to the artisan heritage of the mid-19th century, while later additions during the 1880s and early 1900s incorporated both Arts and Crafts and Tudor Revival motifs.

The manor features an impressive ten fireplaces, each uniquely carved or framed with ornate mantels and custom tilework. The formal living room, once used as the grand salon, is adorned with intricate plaster ceiling motifs hand-painted in rich jewel tones, complementing the warm oak paneling and floor-to-ceiling leaded glass windows that flood the room with natural light. Adjacent is the elegant formal dining room, large enough to host twenty guests beneath its coffered ceiling and centered by a monumental stone fireplace. The room opens onto the veranda, creating an effortless flow for indoor-outdoor entertaining.

A sweeping library lined with built-in bookcases and deep window seats occupies the west wing, its walls wrapped in embossed leather panels imported from Florence during the estate’s major renovations. In contrast, the adjoining conservatory features soaring ceilings and massive leaded glass windows that frame pastoral views in every direction, making it a sublime setting for afternoon tea, reading, or piano recitals accompanied by birdsong and rustling leaves.

The second floor of Elmwood Farm contains the primary family suites, including a secluded wing designed with children in mind, its walls adorned with whimsical, hand-painted storybook murals depicting woodland creatures, nursery rhymes, and pastoral scenes. Each bedroom retains its own distinct design and color palette, with many featuring en-suite baths, fireplaces, and window alcoves overlooking the grounds. Wide hallways and private sitting areas evoke the feel of a boutique hotel or traditional English manor, ideal for accommodating large families or future guests.

Beyond the manor itself, Elmwood Farm offers a collection of exceptional ancillary structures designed for equestrian and country living. The approximately 12,000 square foot stable complex features multiple stalls with hand-crafted wood finishes, heated tack rooms, feed rooms, grooming bays, and an indoor riding arena perfect for year-round training. The expansive paddocks and surrounding trails provide abundant space for grazing, riding, and hosting events.

Two caretaker homes ensure seamless estate management, while the carriage house includes dedicated groom’s quarters, vehicle storage, and additional guest or staff accommodations. A separate building has been converted into a yoga and wellness studio with a vaulted ceiling and skylights, offering a peaceful retreat space for meditation, classes, or private training.

For those with a passion for horticulture, Elmwood Farm’s greenhouse invites year-round gardening, with ample room to cultivate heritage roses, orchids, vegetables, or tropical specimens. The grounds also feature mature specimen trees, established perennial beds, and an orchard area that can be revived into productive gardens, perfect for farm-to-table living or boutique culinary ventures.

While Elmwood Farm feels like a private world unto itself, it remains within convenient distance to the charming village of Pawling, renowned for its boutique shops, restaurants, cultural events, and Metro-North station, offering direct rail access to New York City in under two hours. Nearby golf courses, nature preserves, and historic estates contribute to Quaker Hill’s reputation as one of New York’s most coveted rural enclaves.

Whether envisioned as a luxurious private residence, equestrian center, wellness retreat, historic inn, or corporate escape, Elmwood Farm presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to steward an estate of unparalleled character, scale, and beauty. It is a property that carries with it stories of past generations and the promise of new memories to be created – a true sanctuary where timeless architecture, rolling landscapes, and visionary potential converge into an extraordinary legacy.

For those seeking a place where history, grandeur, and possibility meet, Elmwood Farm awaits to welcome its next chapter.

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