Tuesday, October 11, 2011

"Old Keswick" - A Virginia Landmark

Old Keswick is a Virginia landmark and this 547 acre estate of prime Virginia real estate, on the market for the first time since 1952, can be yours for a cool $13.5M.  The farm boasts yearling, broodmare and racing barns, board fencing and a house with 11 1/2 foot ceilings.  And the property is under conservation easement, so it luckily cannot be subdivided.

The property is the home of renowned horse woman, Peggy Augustus, who grew up outside of Cleveland, OH.  She is a true horsewoman.  As a teenager, she was heavily involved in horse showing and between 1950 and 1965, she won every major championship including the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, Devon, the Royal Winter Fair, and Pennsylvania National. 


The Augustus family bought Old Keswick in 1952 but continued to live outside of Cleveland where Elizabeth Augustus Knight (Peggy's mother) was involved in raising Thoroughbreds.  When her father died in 1963, Peggy moved to Old Keswick and carried on the breeding business under the name of Keswick Stables. 

By the late 1990's Augustus had bred 48 stakes winners.  In 1977 she sold Johnny D, a yearling that would later go on to win the 1977 Eclipse Award championship turf male for $4 million.  She also bred a filly that sold for a world record $2.1 million.  Crown Silver was the Champion Virgnia 2-Year Old Filly.  There are many others.  It's safe to say that Ms. Augustus has a golden touch when it comes to horses. 

The house is lovely and has been for sale for a long time.  But eventually the right new owner will come along and utilize this wonderful historic farm that clearly has a place in "horse history."



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