In the heart of New Hope's historic district is the Umpleby House, a Classic Revival plaster over stone manor house built in 1833 and a delightful one bedroom, one bath two story carriage house on the same property. Currently a luxury Bed and Breakfast, this approximately 4800 square foot manor could also make a wonderful home for the discerning buyer who desires the artisan craftsmanship of an historic property along with the amenities of the twenty-first century, and a separate building for guests or in-laws and all on a large, landscaped lot in one of the best locations in New Hope. Named as one of "America's Favorite Towns" by Travel and Leisure magazine, New Hope Pennsylvania is a beautiful village with a long and storied history. Located just an hour from Philadelphia, 90 minutes to NYC and half an hour from Princeton, New Hope is a wonderful location for those that like the convenience of being able to walk into a bustling hub of shopping, restaurants and galleries but retain the relaxing feel of village life. The Umpleby House, named after William Umpleby, a local mill owner, is an elegantly refined building built on a pre-war foundation and served as headquarters for General Washington's Army for six years. A Victorian-era addition was added to the rear in the late 1880s by owner Colonel Buckley. The current owners purchased and renovated Umpleby House in 1985, converting it to the 8 suite upscale, luxury inn that it is now. They also added the fanciful three-tier Victorian porches in 2001. A classic front entry provides a visual memory of the buildings original use as a single family home. A long center hall and grand staircase is currently flanked by a beautiful guest suite to the right and a formal living room with fireplace on the left. All of the historic craftmanship is evident, 9' ceilings, deep handcrafted moldings, random width hardwood floors, refitted antique lighting fixtures, tall double hung windows with deep window wells, the historic detail that will be retained in the rediscovery of the homes original purpose. Main floor guest suites can become living and dining rooms again. The suites on the second floor can become luxurious bedroom suites, some with private entrances and balconies, freestanding gas or electric fireplaces and the third floor could become a fabulous primary bedroom suite. A 550SF caretaker's apartment in the basement might be the perfect place for a nanny, au pair or recreation room. The large country kitchen is ready for all of the future celebrations that will take place here. If multi-generational use is needed what better place than the Carriage House? Just a few steps away, overlooking the lush lawn and landscaping, the two story Carriage House features a main floor living area with woodstove and a full bath and a second floor bedroom with large covered porch. One can easily imagine an expanded kitchen area so that Mom and Dad can have privacy but still be close by. An attractive two car detached barn/garage completes the property. There are precious few opportunities in New Hope to have this kind of history, space, amenities, large lot, plenty of parking and all in the best location. The Umpleby House is waiting for the vision of its next stewards to take it from its current life as an elegant inn to a future as a single family home.
