Set on 23 private acres overlooking a gracious bend of the Severn River, just minutes from downtown Annapolis and less than an hour from the nation’s capital, lies one of the most distinctive estates offered for sale on the East Coast. Offering stunning architectural beauty, this unusual home, modeled after the James River Plantations, is the result of a mammoth and complex renovation that brought it back to its classic Georgian style...
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Year Built: 1922
Total Lot Size: 23 acres
Total Bedrooms: 7
Total Full Bathrooms: 8
Total Half Bathrooms: 5
Total Square Footage: 35,435
The Main House Central Core
A classic five-part Georgian built in 1922, centered around the main core- the dining room, parlor, foyer and music room- with a south transition room, or hyphen, leading to the kitchen and a north hyphen leading to the library.
Foyer/Dining Room/Parlor
The double front doors of the home open to a gracious foyer leading to the dining room on the right and parlor to the left while a wide archway leads from the foyer to the music room.
Central Core Second Level
The master suite relies heavily on the Greek Revival style in its moldings (based on designs by Asher Benjamin) and exemplifies rich simplicity in its yellow and green color scheme.
The Rotunda
Located behind the music room in the central core, the rotunda is a two story modern circular structure allowing on the first floor access through a conservatory from the music room to the chapel and to the family room, and on the lower level, access from the wine cellar and game room to the indoor spa.
Kitchen Wing
The hyphen from the formal central core of the house to the kitchen is a sunny room providing access to the rear balcony. A rebuilt staircase leads up to the bedrooms or down to the catering kitchen and staff quarters.
Library Wing
The hyphen leads to the magnificent library where mahogany and American oak paneled walls are paired with a hand-tooled leather ceiling and 18th-century brass chandeliers.
South Wing
The chapel in the south wing was repurposed into a great hall. The spa, located beneath the chapel, is accessed from the rotunda and comprises an indoor resistance pool, sauna, steam room and half bath.
North Wing
Three pairs of magnificent glass arched double doors made of imported teak infuse the family room with sun while an oversized limestone fireplace elegantly adorns the room. Situated just below the family room and pool pavilion is the guest wing.
The tract of land on which The Friary now stands has a wonderfully vivid history. The land, originally patented in 1660 by William Hopkins exchanged hands many times before the prominent Hammond family of Annapolis retained the property. They held it until 1827. Between 1827 and 1920 the land surrounding was divided into smaller tracts and sold. Meanwhile, The Friary property was held between 1858 and 1920 by Samuel Lucas. It was said that during slavery, the point was a major stopover for the underground railway due to an extensive tunnel system. There is evidence of such tunnels today.