A family homestead sets the high mark

This private estate sold for $5,000,000, making it the highest sale since 2020 in one of the region’s most exclusive communities

BY SCOTT PICKERING

The estate at 30 Rockbridge Road in Little Compton is among the rarest of rare properties. Its recent sale for $5,000,000 set the high mark in the region’s most iconic Farm Coast community, not just for this year, but for the past two years.

Its attributes are endless, beginning with the real estate market’s oldest cliché: location, location, location.

The first “location” speaks to where the home resides in the world. For those who have not visited recently, take a drive to Little Compton and re-enter the world of another era, maybe two eras. There are few areas in America that still retain much of their character from centuries past. Little Compton does.

Despite incredible growth in the real estate market and new construction throughout, much of the town remains fields and farms, woodlands and trails. Open hills rolls down to the ocean, and quiet lanes lined with stone walls lead to hidden farmhouses off the main road. There is no community like it in southern New England.

The second “location” speaks to this home’s spot in the Pequaw-Honk neighborhood. Dubbed by some a “billionaire’s row” because of the exclusive owners who live there, in the 1970s it became Little Compton’s first conservation neighborhood, carved into pristine farmlands while balancing both land preservation and understated, private homes. Getting there takes a while no matter where you’re coming from, as you pass through a series of twisting, turning, wooded roads to reach the southeastern corner of Little Compton, not far from the state line.

The third “location” speaks to this home’s spectacular views. Facing south, it looks out over acres of fields and trees to Quicksand Pond, the beloved Little Compton beaches (Goosewing and South Shore) and the Atlantic Ocean. The estate conveyed to a local buyer as two lots, with a combined eight acres of rich land, trails and magnificent views.

Simple elegance

The home itself is like the neighborhood — rich but understated. It has the founda- tion of a modern luxury home, with soaring ceilings, banks of tall windows, custom woodwork and multiple decks facing the water, but it has none of the pretense.

The main home at 30 Rockbridge feels like it has been there for a century

(though it was built just 30 years ago). The wood floors have intricate inlays. The kitchen is distinctively farmhouse. The rooms are comfortable but not super- sized. Nothing is bigger than it should be. Everything is simple and elegant.

It’s a home that the Thompson family says goodbye to with regret. Nancy and the late Carlton Woodruff Thompson built the home to be a family sanctuary, and that’s exactly what it has been for them. The home has hosted a family rehearsal dinner, a wedding, countless holidays, birthdays, and a long string of Election Night parties. They do not part with it easily, especially since the family’s connection to the property stretches back generations.

The original Pequaw-Honk was a farm owned by the Thompsons’ grandfather, who was a principal in one of the iconic department stores of the late 19th century, McWirr’s in Fall River. The original Pequaw-Honk farmhouse still stands, just behind the Thompson house.

In marketing materials to support the sale of the house, the Thompson children were asked what they love most about the house: “The fact that we see and hear almost no one while looking out over the most beautiful landscape of woods, meadows and water. Also, our access to Quicksand Pond means that we have an amazing place to kayak and sail and also direct (water!) access to Goosewing Beach, arguably the most beautiful beach in New England.”

While the property connects to the water, so does the house itself. Every room is designed to capture ocean views, including the entryway foyer, the second-floor landing, and every bedroom. A third-floor loft area provides a play space for kids or and additional sleeping area for guests, but most importantly, it opens to a rooftop deck with sweeping views of the region.

Also on the property are a garage and a separate guest house, with kitchen, living area, bedroom, loft and two bathrooms.

The estate is one of the region’s true hidden treasures — a family compound designed for comfort, privacy and most importantly, good memories.

The sale of 30-20 Rockbridge Drive was facilitated by Liz Kinnane and Cherry Arnold with Mott & Chace Sotheby’s. Debby Ladd of Lila Delman Compass represented the buyers.