If you’re looking for a historic estate with serious acreage, timeless architecture, and a private location in the Southern Berkshires, East Hill Farm in New Marlborough, Massachusetts, checks every box. This 227-acre hilltop property includes a 1798 Georgian-style main home, a converted guest house, original barn, and miles of trails, pastures, gardens, and woodlands. It’s the type of property that rarely comes on the market, especially with this much land and preserved character.
Located just 2.5 hours from both Boston and New York City, East Hill Farm offers complete privacy with convenient access to nearby towns like Great Barrington and Sheffield. From its high vantage point, the property offers long-range views, a spring-fed pond, and quiet surroundings. It’s a move-in-ready estate that works for full-time living, multigenerational families, or as a second home with space for farming, retreats, or creative projects.
The Location: New Marlborough, MA
New Marlborough is a rural town in Berkshire County known for its natural beauty, large parcels of land, and low population density. The village of Southfield is the closest neighborhood to East Hill Farm. It’s a quiet spot with a small general store, post office, and access to trail systems and state forests.
This part of the Berkshires offers a slower pace of life with easy access to cultural and outdoor activities. Residents are about 20 minutes from the shops and restaurants of Great Barrington and within an hour of cultural institutions like Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Norman Rockwell Museum.
The Main House: Georgian-Style Architecture from 1798
The original house was built in 1798 in the Federal Georgian style. It was constructed by builder John Collar for landowner Thomas Shepard, one of the founding families of New Marlborough. The home was designed with large rooms, multiple fireplaces, and wide-plank floors, all of which remain intact today.
The structure includes:
- 5 bedrooms
- 5 full bathrooms + 1 half bath
- Original fireplaces (including a working beehive oven)
- Wide-plank hardwood floors
- Symmetrical 12-over-12 windows with original glass
- Built-in cabinetry and wainscoting
- High ceilings (rare for the time period)
Over the years, a modern wing was added with practical updates like an elevator, radiant heat, laundry/mudroom, and a second kitchen. The layout now includes multiple living spaces, a family room, office/library, and sunroom with views over the gardens and fields. There is fiber internet, a Viessman boiler, backup generator, and excellent well water.
The Land: 227 Acres with Trails, Fields, and a Pond
This is not just a home with land, this is a fully realized estate with clear boundaries, extensive infrastructure, and year-round usability.
Breakdown of the acreage:
- 154 acres north of East Hill Road (adjacent to Sandisfield State Forest)
- 73 acres south of East Hill Road (some protected by New Marlborough Land Trust)
Land features include:
- 4-acre spring-fed pond (great for swimming, fishing, paddling)
- Multiple pastures with fencing and water
- Flower and vegetable gardens
- A large garden shed with a slate roof
- Forest trails connecting to protected state lands
- Blueberry bushes, rhubarb, asparagus beds
- Wildlife and bird migration paths
The property offers ample space for horses, small-scale farming, hiking, or simply enjoying the outdoors without leaving your land.
The Barn and Outbuildings
The large red barn was moved to the property from Amherst, MA, and reassembled piece by piece. It’s built on a full stone foundation and includes:
- 3,550 square feet of space
- Electricity and water
- Lower level for equipment storage
- Main level with stalls, workshop, and hayloft
Additional buildings include multiple run-in barns with water and electric, a formal garden shed, and smaller utility buildings for equipment or animals.
The Guest House: 6,600+ Square Feet of Flexible Living
Originally built in the 1930s as stables for Arabian horses, the guest house has been reimagined as four separate living units. It now totals over 6,600 square feet and features cathedral ceilings, fireplaces, and flexible floor plans.
This space could work well for:
- Multigenerational living
- Staff or caretakers
- Short-term or seasonal rentals
- Artist/writer residencies
- Retreats or workshops
The structure has strong bones, plenty of light, and great potential for creative or residential use.
Systems and Maintenance
The property has been well maintained with major updates over the past decade. Systems include:
- Viessman oil boiler
- Backup generator
- Fiber internet
- Private well water (high quality)
- Radiant heat in newer wing
- Cedar shake roof (partially replaced in 2021)
- Working fireplaces and woodstove
All mechanical systems are operational, and the house is ready to occupy as-is. Any cosmetic updates would be by choice, not necessity.
Summary
East Hill Farm is one of the most complete historic estate properties currently available in the Berkshires. With a main house dating back to 1798, a fully converted guest house, original barn, and 227 acres of trails, fields, and forest, it offers privacy, flexibility, and long-term value. The home retains its historic character while offering modern systems and usability. The land is protected on multiple sides and has been slowly reassembled over the past 50 years into a rare single parcel.
At $5.8 million, this property offers a unique opportunity to own a true legacy estate in one of the most desirable regions of Western Massachusetts.
📎 Listing Info & Credit
Listed by: Chapin Fish 413-528-4859 | WILLIAM PITT SOTHEBY’S – GT BARRINGTON
🔗 View the Full Listing: 764 E Hill Rd, New Marlboro, MA 01230
📸 All photos credited to the original listing agent or platform. Shared for editorial and appreciation purposes only. If you’re the homeowner or photographer and would like your listing removed or credited differently, please contact me.
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