It was the distinct details of The Ledges that made the current owners, Bill and Dana, fall in love with the property at first sight. This country home in Wenham is the work of Harrie T. Lindeberg, an American architect who was renowned for his country homes across the United States. His designs were innovative yet still historically minded – as evidenced by The Ledge’s European influences and era-specific amenities.
Below are excerpts from the owners’ interview with The Playhouse, where they spoke about how they came to the property and what they love about it.
How The Ledges Became Theirs
We came to buy a cape near the beach, we ended up with an English manor four miles from it. Right after we came up the driveway, standing at the front door, we knew this was the house for us. We almost didn’t even go inside.
For us, it’s been a family outing kind of place, comfortable sleeping, feeding, and entertaining up to 20 people. At 7,850 square feet, it’s been a piece of comfortable and manageable history for all of us.
Prohibition History in Wenham
The home was originally commissioned by a prominent Boston attorney in the mid-20s, and made sure to add their own speakeasy. A part of the third floor was turned into a hermetically sealed, airtight, light-tight, sound-tight room outfitted with an Art Deco bar. When you closed the doors, you could hear nothing, see nothing, and have a lot of fun doing things that were most likely against the law.
Advice for Future Owners?
Leave it, leave it, leave it. Leave the windows, leave the glass doors, leave the hardware. They are all soldiers of different wars, of different eras. You have to love it for what it is.
The Playhouse takes an even closer look at The Ledges in a post on their blog. To see this spectacular home in person, reach out to Lanse Robb and Sophie Soman.
