6838 E D WA R D S G R O V E R O A D CO L L EG E G ROV E , T N 370 4 6
HISTORIC C A N N O N G AT E FA R M Cannongate Farm is a dream that has been rendered real through the extraordinary dedication and hard work of its talented creators and their hand-picked team of collaborators. The owners’ travels to legendary house museums across the globe, along with their years of study and focused acquisition, has resulted in this unique place. This is a storied farm, possessing beauty that is both restorative and soul-healing, with interior and agricultural spaces magnificently redefined for living a bountiful life in the 21st century. Originally owned by the Gillespie family, this Revolutionary War Land Grant farm dates to 1778. Among its notable owners is Henry Cannon, husband of legendary Grand Ole Opry member and beloved country music matriarch, Minnie Pearl. The Cannons used it as a farm and hunting retreat (with numerous celebrity visitors) for decades. The land was then kept intact by other owners until 2013, when it was purchased by the current owners. Leading a team that included notable Nashville-based architect Van Pond, the family has transformed Cannongate into a luxurious, agrarian retreat from worldly intrusion. Bending Chestnut Construction made real the family’s vision to enhance the original, two-story log cabin and its dependencies into a new version, a world unto itself, with the best of everything. The farm is in much-soughtafter Williamson County, minutes away from one of the country’s most vibrant, exciting metropolitan areas.
AN G IE JE F F E RS O N L ANG F O R D REALTOR® c. 615.305.2510 o. 615.794.0833 angie.langford@zeitlin.com
BRAD L AN G F O R D REALTOR® c. 615.944.4470 o. 615.794.0833 brad.langford@zeitlin.com
ENTRY Entry to the nearly 11,000 square foot main house is through
Utilizing a design favored by many affluent American
a handmade mahogany front door fitted with antique and
homeowners circa 1850, Cannongate is designed with a
custom-made, imported fittings and hardware. Note the
double, center-hall foyer. The rear hallway provides a seamless,
custom-made, white oak pocket doors, historically correct paint
structurally reinforced integration and connection of the
colors, and 10-inch baseboards rendered in mopboard black.
newly constructed, period-correct, Georgian main house with
Beneath your feet are new, hand-picked, tongue and groove ash
the property’s original log house. This is not uncommon to
floors. Illumination is provided by the beautifully proportioned,
Middle Tennessee home design of the period. Families often
symmetrical windows, and the early 1900s chandelier
maintained their antecedents’ humbler log structures, building
suspended beneath a custom-made plaster medallion.
around them, and adding on as their resources grew.
DINING, LIVING & SUN ROOM Here on the beautifully proportioned main floor is
The charming Sunroom features a classically patterned
the Dining Room, complete with pocket doors and
South African marble flooring and beautiful views
a fireplace with fire rock and gas starter. A well-
from each wall of windows. It has its own, separately
proportioned Parlor provides reception space that
controlled HVAC zone to enable open window enjoyment
gracefully leads into the impressive Living Room,
when desired.
which features a mantle and fireplace surround based on one discovered in a historic South Carolina home. The fireplace is lined with fire rock and has an antique fire back, and here are built-in bookcases, and bench seats with storage.
KITCHENS Cannongate has not one, but two kitchens, one newly constructed, and the other part of the original log home. In the larger, “New Kitchen” is a Waterstone faucet, locally made, custom cabinets, with unlacquered brass hardware, and marble countertops sourced in Vermont. The custom-made lighting highlights the specialorder Bluestar Range with four ovens, Sub Zero refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, and Pella casement windows with pull-down screens. The range hood is crafted from antique, reclaimed wood that was formerly a floor joist in the original home. Conveniently adjacent is the “Old Kitchen” reimagined with new accoutrements. Originally housed in a separate building, the Gillespie family was one of the first in Middle Tennessee to incorporate kitchen facilities within living quarters by using a team of oxen to pull the separate outbuilding into place for attachment. Here are the original 1800’s ash flooring and kitchen window. The cabinetry has been crafted of wood from the original barn by worldrenowned master woodworker. The countertops are wood, milled from indigenous trees. The soapstone sink was made in Vermont, and there is an Asco dishwasher, Waterstone faucet, and a handmade, tin light fixture. The space which once comprised the “dog trot” is now a Walk-In Pantry, replete with a tarnish-resistant silver closet, housekeeping closet, and custom-designed linen storage. Just off this kitchen is the Keeping Room, which also has its original floors.
GENTLEMAN’S BAR OFFICE | LIBRARY Once inside the original dwelling, you’ll come to the
Adjacent is the Library, with another spectacular, hand-
Gentleman’s Bar, with concrete countertops, and shelving
carved, fireplace. The addition of a faux coal basket and gas
hewn from Cannongate barn wood. This space transitions
logs ensures it will remain usable in its original state. The
into the Office, the first room built and completed in 1789.
custom-built shelving originated in Connecticut, and the
It has its own entrance thru a generously proportioned,
faux door is original to the house, as are the windows with
covered porch, and its own dedicated parking, so that it may
key, and the lighting, which has been converted from gas to
be utilized as a working office if desired.
electric.
Even though the Office has the functional ability to operate
Just outside the Library is the rear hallway, where the original
separately, this warm, enveloping space has its original,
portion of the home is connected to the new wing by way of
green poplar floors and a fireplace constructed by one of
an ingeniously designed connector that uses numerous oak
the original farm residents. Now outfitted with gas logs, it is
beams to support the old logs. Here is the Wine Cellar, built
graced by a mantle made of indigenous lumber. Astonishing
so it incorporates the back of a fireplace built by a worker
features include the original windows and glass, front door
during the early years of the farm. Also located here are a
with Ball and Ball hardware, and beams recovered from a
Powder Room, Coat Closet, and a pre-finished elevator shaft,
former cabin on the property. Above the original front door
ready for future use when desired.
is the signature of Jacob Gillespie and 17 carved hash marks, one for each child born in this room.
E N T E R TA I N M E N T W I N G Just off the original kitchen is the sun-filled, brick paved, hallway ramp leading to the Breakfast Room, Main Laundry Room, and a large Entertainment Space occupying the footprint of what was once the Coach House. This spacious and welcoming area could be used in a variety of ways (Billiards? Holiday Dinners?) and features numerous amenities. As has been the practice throughout the farm, spotting a fixture or design feature seen elsewhere is unlikely. In almost all cases, each design feature has been created by an artisan using materials already at Cannongate, the fixture has been special ordered, or it is one-of-a-kind. The uniqueness of this Family/Guest Entertainment Wing is highlighted by the charming brick floors, cabinets and backsplash made from original barn wood, imported cabinetry hardware, carved granite sink, ice machine, cigar humidor, and Viking refrigerator. Practical storage includes separate closets for both games and guitars. The uniqueness of this Family/Guest Entertainment Wing is highlighted by the charming brick floors, cabinets and backsplash made from original barn wood, imported cabinetry hardware, carved granite sink, ice machine, cigar humidor, and Viking refrigerator. Practical storage includes separate closets for both games and guitars. Just off the main space, the Media Room features a stone fireplace and antique mantle rebuilt from materials repurposed from a former cabin on the property, now fitted with a gas starter. This room features a separate sound system, coordinated with the main area, if desired. Outside the Coach House is a fully fenced and generously sized stone Patio overlooking a firepit. The surrounding retaining wall was created with stones hand-selected on the property. Also In this wing are the Main Laundry Room and a smaller Laundry Space for farm or hunting clothes. A thoughtfully designed Locker Room provides individual spaces for clothing and boots. Outside the Coach House is a fully fenced and generously sized stone Patio overlooking a firepit. The surrounding retaining wall was created with stones handselected on the property.
SECOND & THIRD FLOOR A few more steps and here is the Primary Suite, truly
Two more bedrooms are on the second floor. The
palatial in scale, and created to coddle and envelop its
Upstairs Bedroom and Sitting Room are part of the
occupants. Some of the most luxurious details in the
original structure. During the time the original family
home are here for enjoyment within the inner sanctum.
lived here, it is believed the entire family slept in this
Hand-cut architectural moulding, period hardware, and
room! The space has been artfully altered by raising the
a superior, Italian marble fireplace surround command
ceiling to better meet today’s needs. The green poplar
respect.
wood floors remain, and the logs are believed to be 400 years old. The chinking between the logs has been
Rounding the corner into the Bathroom, provides a
conserved and restored by one of the best archeologists
look at even more sumptuous personal space. The
in the Southeast. This room accesses the Upstairs
huge marble shower is ADA compliant, but stealthily so.
Covered Porch, which features handsome copper
There is historic lighting and a linen closet, a luggage
lighting fixtures, and copper gutters and roof. Most of
closet, and separate dressing rooms for each primary
the wood on the porch is from the property.
suite inhabitant. Here, too, are a safe for valuables, and separate cedar closets. This luxurious layout has been
A Third Floor, part of the Georgian main house, is
created by anticipating every self-care need.
currently being used as a work-out room and has wonderful views of the property. On the other side of
One of the dressing areas also provides a separate exit
this hallway is nearly 700 square feet of living space
that opens onto an upstairs vestibule, providing the ability
being used as an attic. It is entirely insulated, heated,
to take one’s leave without awakening a sleeping bedmate.
and cooled, and has already been completed with
In this vestibule are also provisions for future elevator
drywall and flooring, and awaits conversion if needed or
service, if desired.
desired. Perhaps as a teen suite?
T H E FA R M Like many farms, Cannongate has numerous
There are three stainless steel wells for use with the
outbuildings or “dependencies,” but few farms this
ponds, pastures, orchard, chicken area, and the large
old maintain such an impressive array of these vital
barn, and the original pump house is still in use. There
structures. Here are, most notably: a 56x91 Multi-
are four springs and two spring-fed and fully stocked
Use Barn, with second floor storage with fan and
ponds.
functioning doors, Tack Room, Tool Room, Horse Wash Bay, space ready for three large, or four small, Equine
Cannongate Farm is abundantly planted with useful
Stalls. There is also a Barn Kitchen.
and appealing plants. Mature black walnut trees, persimmon trees, and wild blackberry bushes dot
The heritage outbuildings (dating from the early to
the landscape, and an orchard with semi-dwarf trees
mid-1800s, partially restored and some are termite
provides pears, apples, crabapples, plums, and figs. In
protected) include: the Mule Barn, Tobacco Barn, Seed
addition, the diversity of the wildlife adds to the rich
Barn, and the Smoke House, which has been restored
life outdoors to be experienced. The farm is home to
and relocated. A custom Chicken House (referred to as
numerous animals, including deer, turkeys, and foxes.
the Taj MaHEN) is currently occupied by chickens that
The vistas here are truly magnificent. The ridge behind
provide 2-3 dozen organic eggs daily. Inside the fenced
the main house is nearly 1,400 above sea level and is
chicken run is a Goat Shed.
the highest peak between the farm and the Alabama state line. On a clear day, you can see Alabama.
No chemicals have been used on the property by the current owners. It is believed this practice dates back
This luxurious paradise is secluded and private,
to 1940, possibly longer. The farm could, through the
yet essential shopping needs are quickly fulfilled at
proper channels, be certified organic. The biosphere
shops in nearby Chapel Hill, Tennessee, less than 10
at Cannongate Farm has received as much thoughtful
miles away. And in keeping with providing the best of
planning as the structures themselves. These nearly 110
everything, the property has fiber optic internet service,
acres of quintessential Middle Tennessee farmland are
a security system with five cameras, and the ability to
more beautiful today than they were nearly 250 years
add five more. In addition, the farm has natural gas, city
ago when the Gillespie family took possession of them.
water, and weekly trash pickup.
There are five pastures, with 45 acres fenced and cross fenced, with room to add approximately 40 more acres of pastures. The property is well-suited for equestrian pursuits, with great horse trails.