:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53040751/91068954_01.0.jpg)
Philly’s old rowhomes and brick-paved streets are what make this city so charming. But sometimes even the most idyllic homes aren’t enough to distract from the bustle of city living. It’s no wonder that Philadelphians have a long history of escaping to Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside for some much-needed R&R.
In the city’s early years, prominent Philadelphians took to building country homes along the Schuylkill River, before it was Fairmount Park. Today, you’ll have to venture a bit farther out if you want to get away.
Here are five country homes for sale around the Philadelphia metro region where you can stretch your legs and relax, from a 19th-century estate in Blue Bell to a stone fixer-upper in Phoenixville that comes with an old cider mill.
Scandinavian living in Glen Mills
-
Courtesy of Estately
-
-
-
-
↑ This Glen Mills estate, called Brooznoll, was built sometime around 1723, but has undergone some modern upgrades since then. Today, the original stone structure features a Scandinavian-style addition that’s accessed via a bridge over a small koi pond. Also, the 4-bedroom, 2-bath home still has five of its original stone fireplaces. Asking price is $800,000.
Cozy cottage on the river
-
Courtesy of Kurfiss-Sotheby’s
-
-
-
-
↑ Over in New Hope, this mustard-yellow home sits right along the Delaware Canal. Dubbed the Pumpkin Seed Cottage, it was once the home of impressionist artist Mary Elizabeth Price. But for the past 15 months, it’s undergone a renovation. Today, the 3 bedroom, 3.5-bath property features gleaming hardwood floors and exposed beams, new bathrooms, and sliding barn doors. Asking price is $895,000.
Fixer-upper(s) on the creek
-
Courtesy of Realtor.com
-
-
-
-
-
↑ This property comes with not just one, but lovely stone buildings on a quarter acre of land in Phoenixville. One is an actual home that dates back to the 1830s-40s and the other is an old cider mill. The two properties sitting along the edge of Pickering Creek make for a very serene scene, but they are in some serious need of elbow grease. The asking price these fixer-uppers is just $349,000.
Classic stone colonial replica
↑ This 2-bedroom, 1-bath home in Wyndmoor makes it the closest home to Philly on this list, but it’s still just as picturesque as the rest. The home’s history doesn’t begin until the 1930s and wasn’t built until 1954, but it was designed to look and feel exactly like a 1700s stone colonial home. The building materials are a hodge-podge of reclaimed wood and antique roof tiles collected over the years, too. The 1,400-square-foot home wants $595,000.
19th-century country estate
↑ It’s known as “Orthodox Cottage,” but this 7-bedroom, 6-bath home in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania is more like a country estate. It was built in 1827 but had an addition tacked on in 2004 that features a separate suite. With in the home, much of the original details have been preserved, from the trim molding to the random-width hardwood floors. The asking price is $1,465,000.