“LONGCROFT” 
A HOUSE AND GARDEN AT MAMARONECK, N. Y. 
THE SEAT OF EDWARD HAMILTON BELL, ESQ. 
A MONG the rocky hills of Westchester 
County rather less than an hour’s jour¬ 
ney by rail from New York City is a piece 
of land about fourteen acres in extent situ¬ 
ated two hundred feet above the sea, from 
which it is distant two miles. More than 
half of it had been at some time cleared 
and planted with fruit trees ; first with ap¬ 
ples in a low and sheltered 
corner near the high road, 
later with pears on the 
upper slopes. Here and 
there were scattered among 
these a few old trees, chiefly 
elms and chestnuts, while 
the remoter parts were 
heavily wooded with a 
mixed second growth which 
is so characteristic of the 
land near Connecticut’s 
shore. 
The view from the high¬ 
er portions of the property 
is closed in to the south¬ 
east by a range of hills 
covered with thick wood, 
beyond and above which a 
glimpse of the hills on Long 
Island may be obtained. 
Southward these woods 
open toward a clearing filled with orchard in 
the foreground and swampy meadows behind. 
The site selected for the house was close to 
the northern edge of the property and about 
two hundred yards from the high road. It 
was by no means the highest point within 
the boundaries, but was so far above the im¬ 
mediate surroundings that the surface drained 
well from here in every di¬ 
rection. The entrance drive 
running eastward straight 
from the highway turns 
sharply northward close to 
the house; and with a 
quick rise gains the level of 
a forecourt on the northern 
side of the house. Here 
the road describes a circle 
round a grass-plot, having 
a magnolia in the center, 
and runs out at the oppo¬ 
site side between tall gate 
posts down hill again to the 
stables. The northerly 
curve of this circle and of 
the forecourt is now 
screened by a thick plan¬ 
tation of Norway spruce 
which will eventually be 
trimmed on its southern 
THE PLAN OF “LONGCROFT” 
Designed and Planted by the Owner 
222 
