Stop everything you're doing, because you're going to want to see this.

It's not everyday that we happen upon a spectacularly beautiful, empty mansion up for grabs, especially one surrounded by private, pastoral countryside as far as the eye can see. Apparently, an opportunity like this comes along but once every 300 years—Spring Grove, as it's dubbed, has been in the same family since 1740, and now this 410-acre Virginia estate is ready for a new steward.

Property, House, Home, Estate, Building, Real estate, Mansion, Architecture, Villa, Manor house, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Road, Natural landscape, Natural environment, Plain, Thoroughfare, Infrastructure, Sky, Ecoregion, Land lot, Horizon, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography

Never ones to resist a good fixer-upper, we can't take our eyes off the incredible listing photos and aerial video, both beautifully captured by Adam Wayland Photography for Frank Hardy Sotheby's International Realty. They portray the home in all of its faded glory—a time capsule waiting for a restoration-minded savior to be its knight in shining armor.

Stairs, Sculpture, Statue, Baluster, Architecture, Handrail, Art, Building, Concrete, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Property, Door, Architecture, Building, House, Estate, Room, Home, Arch, Real estate, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography

The 8-bedroom, 29-room villa measures a whopping 12,000 sq. ft. (if you factor in the English basement) and it is a visual candy store for anyone who enjoys the charm and character of old homes. It remains exceptionally intact and untouched for a house of its age, with majestic double front doors, a grand, floating staircase, original plaster and woodwork with Victorian-era faux graining and marbleizing, multiple fireplaces, and pocket doors.

Stairs, Property, Building, Floor, Handrail, Room, Interior design, Wood flooring, Ceiling, Hardwood, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Room, Furniture, Building, Floor, Interior design, Property, Ceiling, Flooring, Table, House, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Room, Furniture, Property, Interior design, Table, Floor, Building, House, Architecture, Estate, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography

It's no surprise that the circa 1856 home (presumed to be at least the third to exist on the land) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered to be one of Virginia's finest examples of Italianate-style architecture.

Floor, Room, Property, Wood flooring, Building, Hardwood, House, Interior design, Flooring, Wood, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Building, Room, Furniture, Property, Interior design, House, Architecture, Floor, Home, Door, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Room, Property, Furniture, Building, Ceiling, Interior design, Floor, Table, Architecture, House, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography

Architectural distinction aside, what makes Spring Grove the true object of our real estate affections is the timeworn patina that pervades every room. Untouched for years, the home exists today in an exceptionally well-preserved state—were it not for the dust on the mantels, the paint chipping off of the 13-foot ceilings and other hallmarks of a home lost to time, Spring Grove would appear today almost identical to how it did back in the day.

Room, Furniture, Property, Bedroom, Floor, Interior design, Bed, Building, Bed frame, Wall, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography
Property, Building, Architecture, Window, Room, House, Daylighting, Estate, Interior design, Furniture, pinterest
Adam Wayland Photography

We've been inspired over the years watching intrepid homeowners work magic on other fixer-uppers of this caliber. (Be sure to follow the Selma Mansion Rebirth and the Chateau de Gudanes Restoration, if you don't already). The good news for the future owner of Spring Grove is that much of exterior work has already been completed by a highly-skilled restoration team. If you're looking for the project of a lifetime—and a chance to be a preservation hero—why not jump right in?

youtubeView full post on Youtube

The entire estate is for sale for $1.95 million (or $1.25 million with 123 acres). For more information, contact Frank Hardy Sotheby's International Realty.

Headshot of Elizabeth Finkelstein
Elizabeth Finkelstein

Writer Elizabeth Finkelstein is a self-proclaimed old house addict on a lifelong hunt for her perfect historic home. From big Victorian fixer-uppers to tiny colonials to mid-century modern masterpieces, Elizabeth believes that the best homes show the charm of having been loved over time. She chronicles it all on her website CIRCA Old Houses, which showcases beautiful old houses for sale across the country. See more at CircaOldHouses.com.