House Lust: Inside Merrillton, a Gilded Age Mansion with a Romantic Landscape
The Newport estate, which underwent a significant restoration in 2013, bears all the charm of its original design.
July 20, 2021
Merrillton in Newport has lured many notable stewards over its 168-year lifetime.
To start, the Episcopal minister George Merrill, the mansion’s namesake, bought the place in 1933. Then came the famed singer and Broadway star, Jane Pickens; in 2009, her daughter, conservationist Marcella Clark McCormack, deeded a majority of the property to the Aquidneck Land Trust. And Peter de Savary, the developer behind the Carnegie Abbey Club, ushered the early Gilded Age estate into the twenty-first century. He snagged it for a cool $2.5 million in 2012 and, two years and a period-sensitive renovation later, sold it to an overseas buyer for $8.7 million. It’s now back on the market with
Hidden in the heart of the Surrey Hills down a quiet country lane, it’s hard to believe The Merry Harriers is just a few minutes from the busy A3.
With a beer garden at the front and rear of this classic pub near Guildford, it’s like a slice of English countryside from decades ago.
While the pub dates from the early 1700s – and feels like it, with a large open fireplace, stone floor and exposed beams – owner Peter de Savary (hotelier and local resident) and manager Jake Andreou ensure it is more boutique than basic.
An old favourite: The 18th Century Merry Harriers, which is more boutique than basic, discovers Sarah
Great British boltholes: A review of The Beachcroft Hotel, West Sussex dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.