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Balcastle

Introduction

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One of the most distinctive homes in Southampton, Balcastle was built in 1911 and was inspired by a castle in Ireland. The brick and limestone structure features whimsical details, such as a tower and a large, glass-enclosed gazebo. The castle is located in the heart of the town and though it likely appeared strikingly extravagant when it was built, it is now one of a number of estate-like homes in the area. Balcastle is somewhat unusual in that it sits on less than half an acre. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Images

Balcastle

Plant, Sky, Cloud, Building

The swimming pool

Water, Plant, Sky, Swimming pool

The gazebo/pool house

Water, Furniture, Chair, Plant

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Southampton's Balcastle was built in 1911 by local craftsman J. Edward Elliston for a wealthy Russian immigrant. The home, which is unusual in a community that consists almost entirely of frame structures, is considered a rare and impressive example of America's Gothic Revival style. Balcastle was reportedly inspired by an Irish castle.

At the time of the home's construction, Southampton was already an established summer getaway for well-to-do New Yorkers. Homes built in Southampton during the late 1800s and early 1900s were designed in a variety of styles, but even amid the eclectic styles in the town, Balcastle was undoubtedly an oddity, both in size and architecture.

Nothing is known about the owner of Balcastle, but the designer, Elliston, was well-known in the area. Elliston designed a number of homes in Southampton during its development into a summer resort area, but none of them are similar to Balcastle. The most distinctive feature of the home is its two-story brick and limestone tower which houses the master suite. The property itself is small, however, at slightly less than half an acre. The home itself is 2,900 square feet. In addition to the home, the property also has a swimming pool and a glassed-in gazebo that has been used as both a pool house and guest house. One former owner, a Bulova heiress, reportedly housed bear cubs in the structure.

In 1998, the designer William Sofield purchased the home, which he described as an "eyesore" at the time. Sofield spent years renovating the home and listed it for sale in 2010 for $4.2 million. The property was eventually taken off the market but was listed again in 2018 for $3.7 million.

Sources

Balcastle, National Archives . Accessed March 18th 2021. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75314783.

Toy , Vivian. Man Sells His Castle , New York Times . May 20th 2010. Accessed March 18th 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/realestate/23deal2.html?searchResultPosition=1

Cassidy, Grace. Southampton's Balcastle is Back on the Market for $3.695M, Curbed New York. June 30th 2018. Accessed March 18th 2021. https://hamptons.curbed.com/2018/7/30/17629234/southampton-balcastle-relists-herrick-road.

The Historic Balcastle is on the Market , Hamptons . June 1st 2010. Accessed March 18th 2021. https://www.hamptons.com/Real-Estate/Realty-Takes/10976/The-Historic-Balcastle-Is-On-The-Market.html#.YFPFpJ1KjIU.

Additional Information