I’ve driven by this house a couple of times, filled full of envy, so I had to do a quick feature on this one after I noticed it was for sale on another blog, Hooked on Houses. Renee Zellweger’s historic property in Pomfret, Connecticut has hit the market with an asking price of $1.5M. It’s a beautiful, Federal-style farmhouse sitting on almost 40 acres. Being well-acquainted with the historic house market in that area, I think the asking price for this historic estate seems very reasonable, even without the “movie-star-association-factor,” which certainly bolsters its desirability. I can’t imagine it will last long.
One of the most attractive things about this property is the location. For starters, it’s in a beautiful town in the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut. But the setting is what really does the trick — it’s in a wooded area, and the road it’s on (which is a dirt road, if I recall correctly) runs over a bridge, then along a small river, until it arrives at this property & turns right past the front of the house. It is difficult to see the house, though, because there is a tall, stone privacy wall (4′ thick?!) in front of the house (Zellweger built it), which kind of detracts from the historic setting, but it certainly makes the property more secluded. Beyond the gated wall lies 38+ acres, including “fields, woodlands, and beautifully designed gardens,” the circa 1770 Federal farmhouse, a guest house, a “recreation barn” for entertaining, a swimming pool (bleh…I could do without), and, according to the ad, a “helicopter landing area” (I would definitely need that, though).
The house, itself, is called “The Cotton Tavern,” which has a more historical ring to it than “The Renee Zellweger Sixth House.” As one might expect, the house has undergone extensive renovations over the years, but it also appears to have retained a fair amount of original & historical features. The exterior is still wood clapboard, and the windows are 12 over 12 sash. The front door has sidelights on either side, with a simple crown pediment, and a Palladian window above. The front door is even flanked by a couple of oldey-tymey lantern-style lights. Inside, it appears that there are a fair amount of original/early wide-board plank floors. I can’t tell if the fireboxes & chimneys have been redone, but there are several fireplaces.
Despite her desire to vacate the town of Pomfret, Zellweger says she is a huge fan, writing that, “Socially, architecturally and aesthetically; [sic] Pomfret is the embodiment of the old fashioned American small town; while it is simultaneously, [sic] a culturally rich and sophisticated community . . . The seasons and landscapes are breathtaking, the quality of life and festive holiday celebrations are of bygone days, and you’ll make more true friends in Pomfret within weeks than you would during a lifetime in most other places.”
I could go on and on about this house, but nah, I’m ready for bed. But luckily for you, the Realtor who has the property listed, Jonathan Radford of Coldwell Banker in Boston, has an elaborate, 16-page marketing package with lots of pictures, which you can check out in its entirety right here. So go ahead . . . check out a picture of Renee’s bathtub.
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