Chickens, horses, cows and wildlife graciously share space with the human residents of a 55-acre spread for sale at $5.65 million in the hills of Virginia’s Fauquier County.
The property at 1787 Light Horse Lane includes a 5,700-square foot house built in 1840. It’s been updated for modern living; the current owners made the most recent improvements when they installed a lavish kitchen. However, the natural and agricultural surroundings may be Seaton Place Farm’s biggest draw. Besides farming opportunities, the property has a resort-like feel, featuring a three-hole professionally designed golf course, a pond for swimming and fishing, and a state park located 3 miles away.
“It’s really full-circle country living, with animals, relaxation and lifestyle,” listing agent Brandy Greenwell of Compass Real Estate told Homes.com.
One of the draws of this part of Fauquier County, only 25 miles from the outskirts of the urban sprawl around Washington, D.C., is that so much land in the area is forever protected from development, Greenwell said. Many area property owners have placed their land in conservation easements, which allow for small additions, such as barns, but restrict the construction of new houses.
“A lot of the topography is never going to change, never be developed because people have been working for 50 years to [protect] it,” she said.
The surrounding area is within the Crooked Run Valley Rural Historic District, which has been designated a place on the National Register of Historic Places for its wealth of 19th-century houses and landscapes.
The two chicken houses near the house are one example of how the property has been outfitted for both animals and animal lovers to enjoy. Greenwell calls one of the chicken coops a chalet, noting it is heated during the colder months. It’s carefully enclosed to keep out foxes and raccoons and located under shady trees and near a stream.
“It’s a very picturesque spot if you’re a bird,” Greenwell said.
A barn nearby includes six stalls for horses; the current owners also keep sheep and goats, and a farmer leases a pasture on the property for cattle. There are other ways that whoever buys the property can indulge any farming impulses, with a set of raised beds and a greenhouse set up close to the house.
The four-bedroom house combines elements of the original home, including seven fireplaces, exposed brick walls, antique floorboards and old windows, with contemporary features like the kitchen. Greenwell describes it as fit for a chef.
Though he died well before the house was built, Revolutionary War veteran Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, father of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, is said to have owned this land at some point, Greenwell said.
The property also includes a three-bedroom carriage house, which the current owners have rented out frequently to vacationers.