Home » Featured, North America

House on a Rock at Rhode Island

31 October 2009 88 Comments

Clingstone, an unusual and such a vintage, 103-year-old mansion in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, survives through the love and hard work of family and friends. Henry Wood, the owner, runs the house like a camp where all skilled workers welcome. The Jamestown Boatyard hauls the family’s boats and floating dock and stores them each winter in return for a week’s use of the house in the summer.

House on a Rock 1
House on a Rock 1

Mr. Wood, a 79-year-old Boston architect, bought the house with his ex-wife Joan in 1961 for $3,600. It had been empty for two decades. Clingstone had been built by a distant cousin, J.S. Lovering Wharton. Mr. Wharton worked with an artist, William Trost Richards, to create a house of picture windows with 23 rooms on three stories radiating off a vast central hall. The total cost of the construction, which was completed in 1905, was $36,982.99. However, bear in mind that the currency in 1905 is not the same as for now. Possibly the price is estimated about $4 millions.

House on a Rock

House on a Rock

An early sketch of the house shows the plan on how they develop the greatest architecture. Mr. Wood is as proud as any parent of his house, and keeps a fat scrapbook of photographs and newspaper clippings that document its best moments. Many of the historic photos he has were provided by the company that insured the house for its original owners. The Newport Bridge is visible from the windows of the Ping-Pong room, to the left of the fireplace. The house is maintained by an ingenious method: the Clingstone work weekend. Held every year around Memorial Day, it brings 70 or so friends and Clingstone lovers together to tackle jobs like washing all 65 of the windows. Anne Tait, who is married to Mr. Wood’s son Dan, refinished the kitchen floor on one of her first work weekends.

House on a Rock
House on a Rock

There are 10 bedrooms at Clingstone, all with indecently beautiful views. The dining room table seats 14. Refinishing the chairs is a task on the list for a future work weekend. Sign by the ladder that leads to the roof reads “No entry after three drinks or 86 years of age“.

“It used to say 80 but we had a guy on a work weekend who was 84, so I changed it,” said Mr. Wood, ever the realist. It would have been a shame to curtail the activities of a willing volunteer.

House on a Rock
House on a Rock
House on a Rock
House on a Rock
House on a Rock
Image Sources: Boston Travel

Related Posts with Thumbnails
 

Please click news from other bloggers...

If you like this post, please subscribe to the Akademi Fantasia RSS feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

RELATED POSTS

Related Tags: , , , , , ,

88 Comments »

  • Waldir Lucas said:

    I love the note on the wall! And of course the idea of having a house with the adress similar to Atlantic Ocean Lat: 100:01-23 Alt: 2809:01-1

  • Gina Alessia said:

    OMG, this house is awsome. I wish I had one :)

  • Greg said:

    Please consider correcting your sources… these shots are from the Boston Globe (NY Times)

    http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/rhodeisland/articles/2009/07/28/clingstone_owner_has_a_different_view_of_things/

  • M.H.M (author) said:

    Hi Greg. Thanks for letting me know. My friend sent it to me through email without any quote on the resource.

    I just update the post. :)

  • tommy said:

    Great pictures. thanks for publishing… wonder how it will hold up after a big nor-easter…

  • 60 Female House Songs for Cabaret and Musicals Singers | said:

    [...] Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island [...]

  • electric cigarette said:

    That is one of the coolest houses I have ever come across. Congrats on your amazing digs!

  • Kathy Gaddy said:

    My sister, brother and I sailed past this fantasic house on the rock in 2009. We were racing in the North American Lightning championships being sail out of the Newport yacht club. What a sight to behold. Loved it.
    Kathy

  • club penguin toys said:

    I would love a unique house like that. that is absolutely incredible

  • M.H.M (author) said:

    @kathy the house must be really incredible in real life. i wish i could be there too :) )

  • Honour Chick said:

    looks to me like a really creepy place to live.

  • James said:

    i have a house too wood u like 2 email me about it?
    jamesmuntz@dodo.com.au
    thnx

  • Table Tennis Conversion Top | The old good tennis said:

    [...] Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island [...]

  • Indrek said:

    OMG that’s just amazing. Living in this place would be a dream.
    Especially spending my retirement years in such a house. So peaceful and quiet.

  • dre in the morning » Blog Archive » Monday said:

    [...] House on a Rock at Rhode Island Clingstone, an unusual and such a vintage, 103-year-old mansion in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, survives through the love and hard work of family and friends. (akademifantasia) share/save [...]

  • Alan said:

    Awesome house!

  • VIVA!Wマガジン » 誰にも邪魔されない?海の岩上に立てられた別荘。 said:

    [...] source »» House on a Rock at Rhode Island [...]

  • kissmo said:

    That would be really a dream house…A great effort.I would like to have a one like this..

  • fdsaf said:

    It looks beautiful. And it fits the isle perfectly.
    But it doesn’t look very practical. You have to boat your way to the city just to get groceries.

  • Interesting Information and Sites | General Blogger Here said:

    [...] Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island. [...]

  • dave erickson said:

    found pics from uncle in carlisle mass. i restore old houses on east side of cleveland. i think your houes is absolutely remarkable. i can only imagine the work that went into it. thank you for shareing it. would have loved to have been their for the rehab. good luck!

  • Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island | Masricano.com said:

    [...] here: Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island Share and [...]

  • debbie said:

    But my mom is 88! What a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful home. I would love nothing more than a home like that one. The views are beyond amazing and the warmth permeates through the whole place. Wonderful. Did I mention, wonderful?!

  • khawro: Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode | flaker.pl said:

    [...] reklama khawro przed chwilą Akademi Fantasia Travel » House on a Rock at Rhode Island akademifantasia.org/?p=2802 [...]

  • lol said:

    LOL

  • Bill F said:

    I have had the pleasure of viewing Clingstone from the opposite shore in Jamestown RI for at least the past 20 years. I fish from shore late at night in Jamestown. The house is beautiful. Often I wonder what it would be like to get a tour or visit. I couldn’t imagine living in a finer house anywhere. I used to have a boat years ago and I would anchor right next to the house and catch Stripers off all the surrounding rock piles. The place looks even better at dawn or dusk or under a full moon. Awesome!

  • Adam said:

    Amazing house. I thought it was fake haha

  • William Wallace said:

    A cool house, which is a credit to the owner…..

  • Mr.Nguyen said:

    Very cools!It’s a dream house….

  • Vic said:

    That’s an awesome house. Is it not risky? I mean the waves or storms? Though, I think living in that house is a great experience and adventures. I have so much fun viewing the pictures.

  • electronic cigarette said:

    Truly enjoy reading your posts on your site. They are always interesting to read. Will keep your website in my bookmarks now. Thanks.
    electronic cigarette | Drug Testing

  • electronic cigarette said:

    You would definitely have to love an ocean view to enjoy this home. It would be a wonderful vacation home, but I am not sure I would be comfortable living there all of the time. It is great that it is being preserved.

  • Magic The Gathering said:

    I love these pictures! Would definitely want to live here

  • abercrombie clothing said:

    What a horrible thing – a homogenised idea of paradise which just isn’t! Yuck yuck yuck!

  • Electronic Ciggerettes said:

    That is so cool what a nice looking house!!!

    JenniB

  • anxiety said:

    the pictures are amazing

  • E Cig said:

    It’s pictures like these that make you want to make it somewhere some day.

    Your girl Mary :)

  • ed hardy said:

    that’s a good job

  • ugg boots said:

    beautiful pictures ,you are great!

  • babyoso said:

    Wow, that place is beautiful!

  • logo design said:

    Whats the name of the place? What camera are u using, its superb.

  • annuities said:

    i love the house, really a nice one, breath taking to live in that kind of place.

  • steam shower said:

    What a fantastic house! It is very nice and worth visiting. Thank you for sharing this nice thing.

  • memory power said:

    this is really awesome

  • Alquiler de yates en Ibiza said:

    Amazing, very idyllic. thanks for posting.

  • cheap evening dresses said:

    thanks for posting.

  • cara meninggikan badan said:

    runs the house like a camp where all skilled workers welcome. The Jamestown Boatyard hauls the family’s boats and floating dock and stores them each winter in return for a week’s use of the house in the summer.

  • Ed hardy said:

    Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.http://www.edhardyau.com/

  • wedding dresses said:

    This is the awesomest house I have ever seen… I can’t believe they actually live on that tiny island. Absolutely amazing!

  • Wedding Dresses said:

    Some excellent photos there, not sure if i like the house though :)

  • e cigarette said:

    useful post thanks for the topic chosen here.

  • prom dresses said:

    Wow, so wonderful!!
    I even imagine I live in the house.

  • replica handbags said:

    It’s like a dream house.I like the peaceful feeling.

  • online pharmacy viagra said:

    useful post thanks for the topic chosen here.

  • uiyti said:

    hi

  • Capital Gold Group said:

    “Wonderful house at awesome location”.It would be dream house for anybody.I loved the pics too..

  • brisbane house painter said:

    That would be really a dream house. Great work done by clingstone.

  • Acne scar treatment said:

    Live like on the boat. Everywhere you look – water! But these people made their life little bit more intereting than usual family.

  • Hair Loss Products For Men said:

    Wow! Interior maybe is not like I would like but idea is super. I like!

  • success in network marketing said:

    this house is one of the wonderful houses that i have seen

  • Max Furniture said:

    This is the awesomest house I have ever seen. I think living in that house is a great experience and adventures. Thanks for sharing pics.

  • electronic cigarette said:

    OMG thats my Dream house, thanks for sharing :)

  • シティカード said:

    Very nice project guys, you should launch a 3rd time. We’re doing the same in holland / netherlands!

  • belly button piercing said:

    I always wanted to know about this, excellent.

  • Büyü Nasıl Yapılır said:

    I always wanted to know about this, excellent.

  • Cross Country Home Services said:

    That’s a wonderful house at awesome location.It’s like a dream house.I like the peaceful feeling.

  • mike said:

    Thankful for informative and impressive post

  • Copywriting said:

    This is the awesome house I have ever seen… I can’t believe they actually live on that tiny island. Absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing. Amazing post.

  • online website design said:

    This is the awesomest house I have ever seen. I think living in that house is a great experience and adventures. Thanks for sharing pics.web design

  • San Diego Tax said:

    These shots are from the Boston Globe.Everywhere you look – water! But these people made their life little bit more intereting than usual family.

  • Ken Enlarge said:

    the pictures are amazing

  • fredie said:

    Very nice project I always wanted to know about this ,cool house

  • gucci princy tote bag said:

    It’s absolutely Perfect!I love the way on how you decorate those frames on the wall, and it goes with the floor too.Cool!
    I would try that in our house.

  • lipo 6 said:

    Really great work….

  • aaa designer handbags said:

    I’m sharpening my elbows and arousing my ruthless alter ego for the next shop update!!!

  • injury lawyer said:

    It was a beneficial workout for me to go through your webpage. It definitely stretches the limits with the mind when you go through very good info and make an effort to interpret it properly. I am going to glance up this web site usually on my PC. Thanks for sharing

  • Polo Ralph Lauren said:

    elbows and arousing my ruthless alter e

  • canon pc430 personal copier said:

    Omg this web is awesom i had fun much more here

  • search engine marketing company said:

    nice project I always wanted to know about this ,

  • windows code said:

    This is great!

  • SEO Content Writing Service said:

    I love the house in the beach side :)

  • Electronic Cigarette said:

    An early sketch of the house shows the plan on how they develop the greatest architecture. Mr. Wood is as proud as any parent of his house, and keeps a fat scrapbook of photographs and newspaper clippings that document its best moments.

  • Chicago mover said:

    I am a great love of nature and I very much like all those images.

  • $unny said:

    I liked its interior ……….seems heaven on the earth I wanna be there some day ok ……….thnks for sharing the post

  • travel agency said:

    Th4t be an epic da shizzi4 post, th4nkie 4it & in da futures we’ll be seeing more of it

  • world of warcraft account said:

    I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to understand. Unlike additional blogs I have read which are really not tht good. I also found your posts very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show it to my friend and he enjoyed it as well!

  • Toenail fungus treatment said:

    This house looks unbelievable! That is huge…thanks

  • irishpoetry said:

    Love it – just house reminds me of a little stone cottage overlooking the Atlantic, which we stayed in on our holidays, here in Ireland during the summer. Hats off to you for all the work you have put into this place – it’s marvellous.

    <a href="http://www.irish-poems.com"irishpoetry

Leave your response!

Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS.

Be nice. Keep it clean. Stay on topic. No spam.

You can use these tags:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar.