A stone castle just outside New York City has hit the market for $2.9 million.
But the property’s next owners will have to be prepared to oversee a complete renovation of the home if they ever want to live in it.
The sprawling estate, located on 49.6 acres of land in Westchester County, was built by Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) founder David T. Abercrombie in 1927 and inspired by his wife, Lucy Abbott Cate.
While the mansion once stood out as a beautiful wonder, long periods of abandonment eventually made the house a target for vandals who poured paint on marble floors and started fires.
But many incredible features of Abercrombie Castle remain intact and would be a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to restore the manor to its former glory.
A stone castle built by David T. Abercrombie that is “uninhabitable” is for sale for $2.9 million. Built in 1927, the mansion was inspired by Abercrombie’s wife Lucy Abbott Cate and named after their children Elizabeth, Lucy, David and Abbott.
According to Sotheby’s International Realty, the Scottish-style castle is located in Ossining, New York. However, other sources have indicated that the house is actually located in New Castle. It sits on 49.6 hectares of land and has a barn on site
Abercrombie and his wife married 35 years before their New York castle was built. The 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom castle has two floors and a total of 25 rooms. The house also had an outdoor terrace, which can still be used in the country house
A conservatory for Abercrombie’s factories was just off a large hall with glass doors, and their boiler and laundry rooms were on the ground floor, near their three-car garage. It was located near ‘the great hall’, a room with bookshelves and glass doors that may have been used as an office
Abercrombie may also have enjoyed the three ponds, horseback riding and walking trails surrounding the castle. One room that Abercrombie also had in his house was dedicated to weapons, but it is unknown if it was used to hunt any animals that may have been on the premises
The stone castle was built with granite and fieldstone materials that may have come from the Hudson Valley. The interior damage the house sustained may not have caused too much damage to the outside of the house, but there is graffiti on one of the outer castle walls
The two-story layout includes a square tower near the roof with a spiral staircase.
A conservatory for Abercrombie’s factories was just off a large hall with glass doors, and their boiler and laundry rooms were on the ground floor, near their three-car garage.
Abercrombie also had access to three ponds and to the horseback riding and hiking trails surrounding the castle.
The 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom castle sat vacant for years before being sold in the United States early forties to a company that conducts research into paint.
The Scottish-style castle was built with steel from Cate’s father’s ironworks in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to Rural lifeThe granite and fieldstone materials on the castle’s exterior are believed to be “native to the Hudson Valley area.”
The large castle with 25 rooms was full of potential in the eyes of the former homeowners over the years, and they even tried to turn it into a conference and retreat center.
No restoration plan was financially successful and the castle and barn have been completely empty since 2012.
The castle is still surrounded by healthy land, and like the manor house it has the potential to be used for a private or developed estate.
The house was first sold in the early 1940s and stood empty for many years after World War II. It became a target for vandalism, with intruders pouring paint on marble floors and setting fire to rooms
Now every window in the mansion is broken and attempts to return the castle to its former glory have been financial failures for previous homeowners over the years. The property has been vacant since 2012 after an owner failed to build a conference and retreat center
This property still has unique features that are still intact. A steel iron spiral staircase leading to a tower attached to the castle remains in place and the fireplace on the outside terrace is still usable
Originally a superintendent and explorer for Norfolk & Western Railroad, Abercrombie founded Abercrombie & Fitch in 1892 after a vision problem forced him to retire.
He married Cate four years after the retail empire was born, and together they created a New York castle and barn fit for royalty 35 years later.
Abercrombie’s family named their former home ELDA after the retail company founder’s four children: Elizabeth, Lucy, David and Abbott.
The property was listed by real estate agent Christina DiMinno for a starting price of $2.9 million.