6 Webster’s Falls Rd., Greensville, Ont.Photos via RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Realty Inc.
The listing: 6 Webster’s Falls Rd., Greensville, Ont.
Asking Price: $1,990,000
Taxes: $9,260.00 (2017)
Lot Size: 263 X 264 ft.
Agent: Drew Woolcott (ReMax Escarpment Woolcott Realty Inc.)
The large living room has a stone fireplace and a beamed ceiling.
The back story
John Wells was climbing a wooded trail from the Dundas Valley through the Spencer Gorge when a grand stone manor built into the crest of a hill drew his attention.
The circa 1850 home was set into the crest of a hill, with Spencer’s Creek flowing past and through the adjacent parkland before tumbling over Webster’s Falls to the valley below.
Not long after Dr. Wells first spotted the home, he saw a “for sale” sign appear. At the time, the neurosurgeon was practicing in Hamilton and teaching at the McMaster University School of Medicine.
The home in the tiny community of Greensville offered a secluded setting and a quick route down the mountain to Hamilton General Hospital. “It’s 20 minutes to the operating room.”
Dr. Wells and his wife, Leigh, purchased 6 Webster’s Falls Rd. in the mid-1990s and began delving into its heritage.
Following the American Revolution, the land was granted from the British Crown to Col. John Showers in 1797. The farm and vineyard was known as Springdale.
Dr. Wells says that an earlier dwelling may have existed on the property, but the current building was the original homestead of the prominent local industrialist Joseph Webster Jr., who built a complex of water-powered mills in the area and went on to establish Webster’s Falls Park.
An enclosed sun room on the east side of the home was likely added while the home was owned by the family of Westinghouse Canada engineer John Tiplady.
Local historical research refers to the house as “a fine example of Wilderness Georgian.” The façade is constructed of cut stone while the sides and back are built of local rubble because those walls were less visible to passersby.
In the 1920s, Westinghouse Canada engineer John Tiplady took over the stewardship of the property. He severed off parcels of land and made some improvements to the house. Dr. Wells figured the enclosed sun room and porch on the east and west of the house were added during the Tiplady family’s tenure.
The house changed hands a couple of times over the following decades but the original maple floors, deep, recessed windows and beamed ceilings remained in place.
Dr. Wells says members of Hamilton’s well-known Hendrie family owned it for a time and put in the in-ground swimming pool.
When the Wells bought the property, they began the work needed to bring it up to date.
“We take care of the house and the house takes care of us,” he says.
When the house was built, wood moldings surrounding the deeply recessed windows were meant to show off the family’s wealth.
The house today
Visitors arrive through stone gates to a circular drive and a traditional entryway. The wide staircase, with antique balusters and newel posts, dates to the 1800s.
A large living room has a stone fireplace, beamed ceiling and enough room for a baby grand piano.
The dining room also has a large fireplace and beamed ceilings. When the house was built, wood moldings surrounding the deeply recessed windows were meant to show off the family’s wealth.
Scenes from the television series Murdoch Mysteries were recently filmed in the dining room.
“It didn’t take much to make it look like 1910,” Dr. Wells says.
In the late 1990s, the cobblestone bridge in the park was destined to be taken down because it had fallen into disrepair, he says. The neighbours all gathered in the dining room to form a plan to save the historic bridge.
“The Optimist Club led the way and the bridge was rebuilt instead of taken down,” he says. “That was a small triumph.”
A baby grand piano fits comfortably in the living room.
Dr. Wells says he often thinks of the gatherings that must have taken place in the principal rooms over the past 150 years or so. “It’s kind of amazing to think of the presence of people long gone as you go about your day.”
Over time, the Wells improved the house as they installed new wiring, replaced the original windows, renovated the kitchen and updated the bathrooms.
Along the way, their daughters Robyn and Olivia were born.
The current owners renovated the kitchen.
A wood-panelled library at the rear is a favourite spot for watching television and hanging out as a family.
Upstairs, Dr. Wells figures that some of the smaller original bedrooms were reconfigured to create four bedrooms. The couple’s younger daughter has a separate bedroom wing, with a powder room and a playroom. “This is a real kids’ domain,” he says.
A large bathroom has a soaker tub and a walk-in shower.
Downstairs, the basement has above-ground windows that face the creek and the ravine. Curiosities include some wooden pews and an altar.
“You could have a little service even if you’re not able to get out to church,” Dr. Wells says.
There’s a playroom, lots of storage areas, and a room set aside for the family’s Christmas decorations.
The owners believe that some of the smaller original bedrooms were reconfigured to create four bedrooms.
Outside, there are several decks and terraces designed for relaxing in nature.
Dr. Wells says the location is private; yet the family can walk into the shops and restaurants in the small town of Dundas down the road.
He adds that the conservation area has become much more popular in recent years because more people have become aware of Webster’s Falls and Spencer’s Gorge. Most of the hikers and photographers, however, head to the brow of the escarpment, on the distant side of the park.
The residents of Webster’s Falls Road got together decades ago and had a gate installed across the lane. The four homeowners have an arrangement for opening and closing the gate, Dr. Wells says. Visitors must drive to designated parking areas. During the week, the crowds disappear.
“We’re kind of insulated from that by that little gate,” he says. “Most of the time we have the park to ourselves.”
The best feature
A bridge leads over a creek towards the swimming pool.
The home’s ravine setting provides a retreat from the city, Dr. Wells says. “When the windows are open you can hear the falls.”
An arched bridge crosses Spencer’s Creek to a stone pathway, which winds up to the swimming pool, surrounded by a terrace and lawns. There’s also a goldfish pond and a badminton court.
The couple’s younger daughter designed a two-storey playhouse. Dr. Wells points out the zip line under a canopy of maple, oak and ash trees.
“The only traffic across there is deer,” he says of the hillside.
Carolyn Ireland