Hot House: 1308 Wine Spring Lane, Ruxton, MD 21204
Stucco manor house in Queen Anne revival style, circa 1889 in fine condition.
8,200 sq. feet over 4 stories, with 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 6 working fireplaces.
12’ ceilings in main rooms, all original architectural finishes, hardwood floors, moldings, bookcases. Private, landscaped 3.7 acre lot with 2 car garage, stone veranda, pool and pond with dock: $2,390,000
What: When it comes to county mansions, Ruxton is the ticket. This one is a Queen Anne Revival, a popular style at the end of the 19th century. Queen Anne’s are generally more romantic than similar era Victorians — often asymmetrical, as this house is, and loaded with gables, porches, bay windows, arches and turrets. They can be a bit OTT, but this is a rather restrained Queen Anne, and more beautiful because of it. Believed to have been commissioned by a Civil War sea captain and christened “Woodleigh”, it was built on a larger estate called Walnut Hill, which was subdivided when the North Central Railroad suddenly made this part of the world accessible for city dwellers. it sits grandly at the top of a sweeping drive, complete with a picturesque pond (picture self in rowboat, with willows behind). The interior is more grand than the exterior. The entrance, with its 12’ ceilings, long windows (original wavy glass), and arched sightlines, is a wow. Parties in the 30’ living room will be short of memorable. But it’s also light and airy, with wide hallways and lots of windows. Straight back past the kitchen is a glassed-in family room addition that provides the balance of informal entertaining space, right outside the pool.
Upstairs has several large bedroom and a gorgeous master suite, with separate bathrooms for soaking tub/dressing table and shower/toilet. The soaking tub sits on a platform with windows all around, completely sybaritic.
Where: Wine Spring Lane is a long, winding, no thru road just off Bellona Avenue in Ruxton. Driving north on Bellona, passing Graul’s on your right, Wine Spring Lane is the last right hand turn before the intersection of Bellona and Joppa Road. There are other nice houses on Wine Spring, but you wont know it once you’re at 1308, hidden back among large trees and Downton-esque lawns. You are near everything here, but it feels like the country – which is the whole point of Ruxton. 20 minutes downtown, 6 to Greenspring Station, 10 to Towson.
Why: Great style, great location, pond.
Why Not: Lots of stairs
Would Suit: Lord of the manor
NB: Last major rehab was 1985. There is cosmetic work, paint, carpets, some fixtures that could use updating.
