449 Lucky Hill Rd, West Chester, PA 19382

The stone farmhouse was built by Thomas Worth in 1740 on property inherited from his father, an English Quaker who had purchased 500 acres of "Penn's Woods" in 1682 from William Penn himself. Worth situated his house in the center of the property facing south, overlooking a tributary of the Brandywine Creek and a view of the valley. Remarkably, the view of gently rolling hills and woodlands is much the same today as it was nearly 275 years ago, thanks to the permanent protection of a conservation easement on the land.The original farmhouse was a modest, two-story, two-bay structure built of locally quarried serpentine stone with a slate roof. Additions constructed between 1835 and 1850 more than tripled the size of the house and included an eastern wing and a two-story summer kitchen with a beehive oven on the northern side of the house. In 1890, yet another addition gave the home its present L-shape, and a porch was added to the south-facing front. Inside, the house maintains much of the original fine-quality woodwork. There are five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and five fireplaces. The kitchen is a cook's dream with high-end stainless appliances, two dishwashers, two sinks, and propane cooktop (nearly all appliances are brand new). New roof, new central AC, new second-floor washer and dryer, new landscaping, and much more! Use of a three-bay detached garage is included with rent.In 1990, the farmhouse, outbuildings, and 332-acres of land were bequeathed to Natural Lands Trust, establishing the Stroud Preserve. Since then, the preserve has grown in size through donations and purchases of neighboring properties. Stroud Preserve is one of 42 nature preserves owned and managed by Natural Lands Trust. (More information about Stroud Preserve: This is a unique home set in a unique space!Tenant pays utilities (oil, electric). Owner will maintain grounds and plow snow.