The intricate details – both inside and out – of Cragside, a home high above Peterborough’s Cunningham Pond, are a testament to the fine craftsmanship that went into its construction.
It was a labor of love for the owners, according to Andy Peterson, a broker associate at Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty tasked with selling the home that sits on 13.4 acres of land and is surrounded by hundreds of acres of conservation land and state forest.
The property, named for the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity located in Northumberland, England, was first purchased in 1996 with a dream of a finely crafted retirement home. Initial site work and engineering began four years later at the turn of the 21st century and took two years to complete. It was etched into the granite hillside and done so in a way to create breathtaking views that include Mount Monadnock, downtown Peterborough and Dublin, and others that stretch into Massachusetts and Vermont.
“It’s one of the reasons why it took quite a while to build it,” Peterson said.
It would take another six years to complete the construction, with the first two years spent on the exterior and infrastructure systems and the final four focusing on the interior and completing the remaining items to get the exterior ready for occupancy.
Every piece of the process was done with the utmost attention to detail in order to create a space that is both comfortable and welcoming. Step inside and the amount of consideration and thought that went into the home’s construction is apparent around every corner.
With a total finished area of 3,830 square feet, the first floor offers ample opportunities to gather. To the left of the large entryway is the great room, which features a gas fireplace and limestone mantle surrounded by built-in bookshelves in the back. The front of the room offers a clear view of Mount Monadock through a large window, bookend by two doors. The beams, which create four varying sized boxes atop the high ceilings, offer a touch of unique character.
Off the great room is a glass sunroom with French doors and lots of windows on each wall that allows in plenty of light and provides more opportunity to take in the vast landscape.
“It’s a big view,” Peterson said. “You feel like you’re essentially on top of the world. Just looking out over the whole region.”
Also found on the first floor is a formal dining room with built-in display cases and a kitchen that is both functional and beautiful. The cabinets are all oak and includes recessed lighting, granite countertops and built-in appliances.
“It’s a very practical kitchen for someone who really likes to cook,” Peterson said.
On the other side of the main floor is what is known as the conservatory, Peterson said, which features the other gas fireplace, more built-in display space and an atrium area at the end of the home that is perfect for a small indoor plant collection.
The flooring on the main level is a mix of oak hardwood and large tile, each carefully picked for the space. The molding is a combination of natural wood finish and meticulously painted to create a balanced color scheme.
“It was done with just tremendous care,” Peterson said. “There’s some great examples of beautiful old-world woodworking.”
The second floor is home to three bedrooms, including the master that showcases the unobstructed view of Monadnock through floor to ceiling windows. It boasts two private baths and a walk-in closet, as well as a laundry area to create a perfect area to retreat to. In all the home has four bathrooms.
The roof is a composite slate that gives it an ode to the homes built hundreds of years ago with a material that is meant to last the test of time.
“It was just done like it would be in the old days with the best materials,” Peterson said.
To the left of the home is a detached three-car carriage barn with a space above that is perfect for storage or could be finished off in the future for an in-law apartment.
There are three outdoor stone features, along with stone walls, that add a true feel of New Hampshire country living. There’s a stone bridge folly over a vernal stream, which was created as part of the site engineering to divert mountain runoff away from the house. A sundial in front of the house overlooks Monadnock and the cairn of Thorondor lies between the house and the garage.
The road is private and a gated entry allows for the utmost privacy.
“You have the best of country living,” Peterson said.
The house is architecturally modeled – by Mark White Associates Inc of Hollis – on the aristocratic hunting lodges in the Dordogne region of France. The building construction was done by Julio DiGiando Associates of Wellesley, Massachusetts.
“It’s just done so well,” Peterson said. “You’ve got to admire the craftsmanship when you see it.”