Winthrop Estate is one of the few remaining Berkshire Cottages of the Gilded Age.  We are proud to be restoring and maintaining a magnificent architectural gem of American History.

In the latter part of the nineteenth century into the early twentieth century, the growing wealthy upper class aspired to create elite resorts and communities for themselves in which to play, entertain and network.  The Berkshires were home to one of those communities; wealthy families from Boston and New York hired talented architects to build sumptuous houses.

A passage from Richard S. Jackson Jr. and Cornelia Brooke Gilder’s book, The Houses of the Berkshires, 1870-1930 helps to illustrate the significance of the “Berkshire Cottages” in the wider scope of American architecture.

“The intersection of ambitious clients with versatile architects achieved a significant physical presence in a number of cities and resorts, and particularly in one small corner of Massachusetts.  Within a few hundred square miles comprising Lenox and Stockbridge, the best architects from New York and Boston, plus some remarkable able local practitioners, invented a unique and uniquely American landscape of great country houses.”

It is our passion and honor to be the current owners and caretakers of the Winthrop Estate.  We strive to recreate an atmosphere of authentic luxury.  With great pleasure, we invite you to be our guest for your wedding, family reunion or corporate retreat and participate in living a lavish piece of American history.

A lovely note from a summer bride:

Words cannot describe how pleased I am with our wedding weekend at The Winthrop Estate. From the moment we arrived, we knew that we were being taken care of by a staff that seemed to truly care about our experience. From the decor, to the staff, to the homemade snacks that were provided throughout our visit, to the lovely manicured estate, everything was simply perfect! It was as though we were in the comfort of our own home. Another benefit to hosting our rehearsal dinner and staying at the estate for our wedding weekend was the personal connection that you had with all of the local vendors. It made things so much easier for everyone involved. I can honestly say that our wedding would not have been even close to as wonderful as it was had we decided no to stay with you! There was a true connection that was made by so many of our guests that I believe would not have been possible without this central location for everyone to convene at various times throughout the weekend. My only wish is that we could go back and do it all over again. I cannot thank you and your team enough.  I would recommend The Winthrop Estate to anyone and everyone for a wedding and a variety of events! It truly was the best wedding weekend ever!

Thanks for everything and best of luck to you and your family.

Ben and Andrea

TEDxBerkshiresWomen2011

TED…..ideas worth spreading.  We agree.  The TED conferences have gained worldwide recognition as a venue for the most innovative, brave, inspired, out of the box thinkers of our time, sharing ideas that they think will change the way we live with one another and the world.

Last week the Winthrop Estate hosted a TEDxWomen live simulcast.  We invited 60 of the Berkshires most dynamic women to come and watch TED presentations in our music room.  The energy was palpable. Barbara Streisand spoke passionately about the need for more research money to find a cure for women’s heart disease; Tan Le shared a triumphant personal story of overcoming obstacles as a young minority immigrant; Lamis Zein awed us with her bravery (she works to demolish cluster submunitions in Lebanon, her homeland).

Everyone had a great time.  The food was excellent and the company stimulating.  This was our second annual TedxWomen event and we look forward to our next.  We are now in the planning stages of a May TEDxBerkshires conference.

Stay tuned for more ideas worth sharing!  www.TEDxBerkshires.com

A Handwritten Thank You Note

What a lovely note we received!

You can read the whole thing above.  Here are a few highlights: …

“It was E & D’s fairytale wedding!  We could not have asked for anything more.  Your graciousness, your patience, your fabulous staff- what more could anyone ask for.  Our weekend exceeded our expectations.  Having the wedding at the Winthrop was an experience the whole family will never forget.  ….

“THE BEST WEEKEND EVER!

“I highly recommend it…

“Thank you again– it would not have gone so perfectly without you and your staff.”

Knitting Basket in the Library

Recently one of our guests discovered the knitting basket in the library of Winthrop Estate.  Sitting in one of the cozy leather chairs she experienced the joy of busy hands – quiet mind.  She left us a lovely bit of what might be a scarf.  Of course we pride ourselves on our luxury accommodations, fine antiques, and delicious food, but it’s also these little things we have to offer that we hope will bring you joy and a feeling of serenity during your stay with us.

Avid knitters will want to visit the designer yarn shop in the village of Lenox.  Colorful Stitches is a wonderful boutique – a delight to the senses.  They have “yarn bombed” the entire front porch of the store, the whole thing looks like it’s wearing a colorful sweater.  Go there for yarn, patterns and classes and get inspired!

It is this beauty and attention to detail that inspires us here at Winthrop Estate.  We want every room to reflect the lush grandeur of the Gilded Age.  Our resident florist, Crocus Hale, creates elegant bouquets to adorn the mansion and lift our spirits.

Master Bedroom Table

A full delivery of antiques has just arrived … we found a wonderful leather couch for the library and a small carved table, a new rug and couch for the music room and a lovely Biedermeier secretaire abattant for the master bedroom, and a bit more.    Things are busy here at Winthrop Estate. Check in with us again soon for more pictures.

Master Bedroom, photo by John Seakwood

Anchored by a “palace-size” Oushak Peshawar carpet, c. 1990, this grand room features a Georgian style sofa with loose down cushions in a pistachio green woven fabric at the foot of the bed. There is a pair of Biedermeier fruitwood open armchairs for the first quarter of the 19^th Century. Early 20^th C. floral watercolors in shades of pink add a feminine touch. A group of early 20^th Century English prints depicting the Four Seasons hang on either side of the fireplace. We just added a handsome Biedermeier day bed from the first quarter of the 19^th Century adds the perfect spot for the afternoon nap.

Just Arrived

Watch our new family photo montage: click here.