| Allen Winden | |
|---|---|
 Allen Winden in 1886 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Berkshire Cottage |
| Address | Old Stockbridge Rd. |
| Town or city | Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
| Year(s) built | 1882 |
| Demolished | 1928 |
| Owner | Charles D. Lanier |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Peabody & Stearns Ernest Bowditch Richard Codman |
Allen Winden was a Berkshire Cottage and estate designed for Charles D. Lanier, located in Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The cottage and numerous outbuildings and additions were designed by Peabody & Stearns. The landscape designed by Ernest Bowditch, and interior designed by Richard Codman. The firm also designed alterations in 1895 and 1903. The estate was sold in 1927 following Lanier's death and demolished in 1928.
History
editJ. P. Morgan was a notable guest.
Architecture and design
editThe design of Allen Winden showcased a unique blend of architectural styles, reflecting the eclectic tastes of the era. Robert Peabody, one of the architects behind the project, incorporated elements of Queen Anne, Tudor, and Colonial Revival architecture, resulting in a visually striking and diverse structure. The exterior of the estate featured a mixture of brick, shingles, and half-timbering, creating a picturesque façade.
The main entrance, adorned with a brick stepped gable, led visitors into an ivy-covered porte-cochère, featuring Japanese-inspired latticework and ornate decorations. Balconies and piazzas adorned the exterior, providing ample opportunities to admire the surrounding landscape.
Internally, the interiors were meticulously designed by Richard Codman, offering a blend of elegance and comfort. Codman, known for his work on other notable estates, brought his expertise to Allen Winden, ensuring that the interior spaces were as impressive as the exterior.
Situated in Lenox Allen Winden was built by Charles Lanier in 1881. The architects were Peabody and Stearns. The landscape architect was Ernest Bowditch. The Peabody and Stearns records are in the Boston Library along with blueprints and elevations. A card index holds, in many cases, the original records of costs related to the building of these homes. The Lanier cards are marked "composite" which means that only the year, the structure to be built or altered, and the total expenditure survive. Even so scant a record is revealing of the times. Mr. Lanier was a constant builder as were many of his class in his day Chronologically' his dealings with Peabody and Stearns were:
Eleven years and a total of $182,496.11 were dedicated to building. It was part of a way of life provided you were a New York City banker and a gentlemen.
Mr. Lanier was an intimate of J. P. Morgan through his banking interest. Although Mr. Morgan's sister and her husband, George Halle Morgan, owned Ventfort in Lenox, contemporary accounts say he stayed with Mr. Lanier. According to Mr. Bowditch who kept a journal, Morgan had at one time "bailed out" Mr. Lanier and his bank. Mr. Lanier was distantly related to the poet, Sidney Lanier, and Mrs. Lanier was both an Egleston and granddaughter of General Paterson. The monument in the center of Lenox commemorates his war deeds. Such family connections back to the Revolutionary War were highly valued during the estate period. Money was sufficient to pay for a place in the upper class structure, but lineage represented another rationale for American aristocracy. Money and power were certainly craved and revered but were not sufficient.
Today, Allen Winden is the Berkshire Christian College. Lanier's house was demolished in the 1920s. In the 1930s, the present brick house was built in its place. In the 1950s, the property was sold to the Berkshire Christian College. "Allen Winden" sits on a rise; hence the Gaelic name meaning windy The land descended from the house east and west to Laurel Lake and Lake Mahkeenac (Stockbridge Bowl) respectively. During the estate period, the cottages were carefully placed for "views." A contemporary account says, "Allen Winden occupies a commanding view on a high hillside. Its grounds are considered by many to be as beautiful as any in Lenox. The great lawn contains almost every variety of flower that can flourish there and the conservatory is another evidence of Mr. Lanier's love for horticulture." The description affords the twentieth-century visitor an opportunity to mark the changes in topography both on individual estates and the general landscape. For example, neither lake is visible today from Allen Winden.[1]
James F. D. Lanier https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1906-07-16_55_17705/page/n5/mode/2up?q=%22Allen+Winden%22+lanier
Lord Algernon Gordon-Lennox https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1902-10-10_52_16462/page/n7/mode/2up?q=%22Allen+Winden%22+lanier
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:1c18f322w
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:1c18f734h
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:1c18f351b
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:1c18f352m
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:1c18f676t
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/north-front-allen-winden-residence-mr-4582699590
References
edit- ^ a b Owens, Carole (1984). Schein, Jerome; Montgomery, Elizabeth; Smith, Claudia Chyle (eds.). The Berkshire Cottages: A Vanishing Era. Cottage Press, Inc. ISBN 0-918343-00-3. LCCN 84-71191 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Robinson, Annie (2010). Peabody & Stearns: Country Houses and Seaside Cottages (1st ed.). W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0393732184.
- ^ "Building Intelligence—Lenox, Mass". The American Architect and Building News. IX (271). James R. Osgood & Company: 120. March 5, 1881 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Gilder, Cornelia Brooke (January 5, 2011). "Legacy survives the fire". The Berkshire Eagle. Andrew H. Mick. p. 4.