The New England Barn: An Iconic American Landmark

From Maine to New Hampshire, Vermont to Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to Connecticut, the barn has stood amid the splendor of New England’s pastoral horizon for more than 200 years.

Our colleagues at LandVest, the exclusive Christie’s International Real Estate Affiliate in this beautiful part of the world, inspired us to take a closer look at this iconic New England landmark, and to showcase some of the finest barn architecture on the market today.

Beaver Brook Farm with Three-story Recreation Barn
Marshfield, Vermont

This 530-acre farm’s impressive array of recreational options includes a three-story 3,184-square-foot heated entertainment barn, an architect-designed main residence, hiking trails, and a 15-acre pond with two cabins.

The impressive three-story 3,184-square-foot heated barn, was completely restored including a guest apartment, heated woodworking shop, golf practice area, greenhouse, large multifunction area, barn storage space, six-car garage, and stunning views.

The end-of-the-road privacy allow Beaver Brook Farm’s 530 acres to fall into the "best of the best" category.

The earliest barns in New England were built by English settlers in the 18th century. Adapted from England’s centuries-old rural vernacular architecture, the English, or three-bay barn comprised a single-story, timber-framed structure, which typically measured 30 by 40 feet, and featured an A-frame roof and large side doors that opened to a main threshing floor.

Breeze Hill Farm with Four-level Shaker Barn
Hartland, Vermont

This classic Vermont country retreat was built in 1784 and features an elegant Federal-style farmhouse and an original four-level Shaker barn surrounded by 106 glorious acres of farmland, woodland, and meadows.

The beautiful multi-level barn features a great party hall and guest/office space on the upper levels, and houses livestock and chickens with ample turnout areas on the lower level.

The 4,200-square-foot four-bedroom, six-bathroom main house has an expansive farmhouse kitchen/family room, three-season porch, seven fireplaces, and a lavish master suite.

By the 19th century, with the onset of commercial agriculture and innovations in building methods and materials, a new style of barn had emerged. The New England barn was a more sophisticated building that served all the needs of the farmer under one roof.

Uplands Vermont Farm with Three-level Bank Barn
Weston, Vermont

A classic Vermont farm dating to the late 1800s, this elegant home enjoys 105 acres of open meadows and includes a guest barn, a three-level equestrian bank barn, tennis court, and swimming pond with a sandy beach.

The exquisite three-level bank barn has been designed as an equestrian facility.

The interior features beautiful modern stables and classic wood floors and finishes.

Its characteristics included the addition of a gable, or gambrel roof; the ubiquitous red-hued façade; a basement level to house livestock; and large double doors at either end, enabling carriages to unload grain for production and storage.

Morton Hill Farm with Historic Dairy Barn
Lincolnville, Maine

Located on the site of an old dairy farm, this pastoral 70-acre estate is just 15 minutes from Camden and the coast, and features a historic barn surrounded by verdant fields, woods, mountains, and fertile farmland.

The farm’s pastoral land provides excellent opportunities for full-scale farming again.

Morton Hill Farm’s original dairy barn is in the classic New England style with a gambrel roof, twin cupolas, and massive barn doors.

Other popular barn styles included the round, or Shaker barn, and the bank barn, an innovative two-story structure, which allowed livestock to enter on the lower pasture level and crop storage on the upper floor.

Little River Farm with Pole Barn
Stowe, Vermont

Enhanced with a storybook, red-hued pole barn, this idyllic woodland retreat set amid the splendor of the Worcester Mountains is graced with a beautiful log home, pool, and beautiful recreational options.

There is plenty of outdoor living area in and around the house with endless decks, pool patio, outdoor grill, and a nine-car garage complete with a brand-new SUV for the new owner.

In the Victorian era, New England’s farm architecture incorporated the classic revival styles of the period. In addition to being multifunctional agricultural facilities, many barns mirrored the decorative architecture of the farmhouse and were often connected to the home via a series of outbuildings, which provided convenience during New England’s harsh winters.

Grey Meadow Farm with Slate-roofed Barn
Tinmouth, Vermont

This dream Vermont farm features a monumental slate-roofed barn, a sugarhouse, and main house surrounded by 1,278 acres of land with outstanding farming, equestrian, and recreational amenities.

Expanding easily to host guests in multiple charming outbuildings, including a sugarhouse perched high above the main farm, the property also includes three ponds, extensive facilities for horses and livestock, as well as beautiful gardens.

Grey Meadow farm is appointed with an enormous slate-roofed New England barn with timber façade and cupola.

These beautiful structures were often embellished with shingle façades, ornate windows and doors, swallow holes or dovecotes for nesting birds, and cupolas topped with weather vanes, which remained popular until the mid-twentieth century.

Windy Peaks Farm with Three-story Barn
Hill, New Hampshire

Set atop 155+ acres of cleared fields and woodlands, this picturesque property has a three-story equestrian barn and farmhouse with 270-degree views of Newfound Lake, Mount Washington, and the Presidential Mountain Range.

Built by New Hampshire craftsmen, the 5,000-square-foot reproduction Cape home includes a wine cellar, exercise and game rooms, and extensive decks, and is complement by a 2,000-square-foot guest cottage, tennis court, and swimming/trout pond with a sandy beach.

The elegant three-story barn contains three stables, an expansive hayloft, large workshop, and storage areas.

Today, New England’s vernacular farm architecture stands as a cultural symbol of the rural environment. While only a few thousand original barns remain across New England’s six-state region, many have been preserved and are listed on national and state historic registers.

Longview on Lake Winnipesaukee with Entertainment Barn
Alton, New Hampshire

The most significant property to ever come to the market in New Hampshire, Longview’s unrivaled amenities include 1,594 feet of lake frontage, two homes spanning 63,000 square feet, and a 7,655-square-foot entertainment barn.

Longview has a spectacular 7,655-square-foot reproduction post and beam entertainment barn.

This world-class 17-acre property includes two magnificent homes, a barn, teahouse, stone amphitheater and cottage at the water’s edge, two stone boathouses, multiple docks, an infinity pool with adjoining grotto, a tennis court, and grass helicopter pad.

Others have been converted into luxury residences, equestrian facilities, studios, and recreation spaces, ensuring the architectural legacy of the New England barn will endure for centuries to come.

The Ark Horse Farm with Seven-stall Barn
Harvard, Massachusetts

Built in 1725, this serene 30-acre equestrian estate includes an original seven-stall barn, heated indoor and outdoor dressage arenas, paddocks, and an antique farmhouse surrounded by landscaped grounds, ponds, and streams.

Only 25 miles west of Boston, with easy access off 495, the property is set among substantial horse farms, apple orchards, and open fields.

View more New England barns below:

Colonial Manor with Renovated 18th-century Barn
Saybrook, Connecticut

Built in 1761, this Colonial estate, adjacent to a 1,000-acre nature preserve, is a classic example of New England architecture complete with an original red barn, saltwater pool, bocce ball court, outdoor fireplace, and guest house.

This historic manor house is appointed with grand 18th-century architectural elements and luxurious 21st-century amenities.

The property rests on nearly nine private acres at the very end of historic Ingham Hill Rd. in the scenic town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, just minutes away from quaint shops and beaches.

Sun Bear Farm with Equestrian Barn
Johnson, Vermont

Resting on 199 acres, this quintessential New England property dates to 1880 and comprises an original red barn and converted sugarhouse, a farmhouse, outbuildings including a garage and workshop, and equestrian facilities.

A seamless blend of traditional and 21st-century elements, the estate includes a renovated seven-bedroom farmhouse, a three-car garage and workshop, a converted sugarhouse, and equestrian facilities.

This property is located on Butternut Mountain in a rural neighborhood of large-acreage parcels interlaced with maintained woodland pathways well-suited to endless hiking, hunting, and bird-watching.

For further insight into New England barns and other extraordinary property offerings, visit LandVest, Christie’s International Real Estate’s exclusive Affiliate in the region.