69 Church Street represents one of Charleston's most significant residential offerings, a grand pre-Revolutionary estate of exceptional architectural pedigree, remarkable scale, and extraordinary privacy in the heart of the historic district. Built circa 1745 and set on an expansive .29-acre lot on picturesque Church Street, this Category 1 Georgian double house is among the largest and most important surviving residences of its era in the city.From the moment one enters, the scale and quality of the architecture are striking. The main residence follows the classic Charleston double-house plan, with four principal rooms on each floor arranged around an elegant central stair hall rising four stories.Soaring ceilings of more than 11 feet extend through three floors, an exceptional feature for a house of this period, and beautifully proportioned nine-over-nine double-sash windows fill the interiors with natural light.
The home is a remarkable expression of both the Georgian and Federal periods, with an extraordinary collection of original and period details. Fifteen fireplaces, King of Prussia marble surrounds, Delft tiles, exquisite mantels, wainscoting, original interior wood shutters, bespoke moldings and finely executed woodwork appear throughout. Among the most memorable rooms are the magnificent second-floor ballroom, the gracious drawing room, and the richly paneled cypress library. Remarkably, the third floor retains the same generous ceiling heights and window proportions found on the principal floors below, with the primary suite spanning the entire east side of the third floor.
Despite its historic pedigree, the residence functions beautifully for modern living. Each bedroom has an en suite bath--an unusual luxury in a historic Charleston house. The original kitchen building is connected to the main residence by a hyphen and butler's pantry. The kitchen house contains a period-style kitchen and comfortable den overlooking the gardens through distinctive lancet-arched windows. Two additional bedrooms with two full baths in the kitchen house provide wonderfully private accommodations for family, guests, or live-in staff.
Equally extraordinary are the grounds. Behind high brick walls, five exquisitely landscaped garden rooms unfold across the unusually deep property. Mature heirloom camellias, towering podocarpus, citrus and pomegranate trees create a lush, established landscape with a sense of discovery at every turn. A charming secret garden gives way to a large oval swimming pool, one of the earliest private pools downtown, with historic brick hardscape and secluded within the gardens, framed by Gothic Revival-inspired privies. A covered trellis anchors the far end of the pool, perfect for dining al fresco or enjoying some shade while poolside. The rear garden with fruit trees opens onto Ford's Court and provides additional off-street parking.
For all its grandeur, 69 Church Street possesses an unexpected intimacy. Once inside its walls, the property feels remarkably quiet and private. The house flows effortlessly for large-scale entertaining, yet its library, den, garden rooms and hidden corners provide equally compelling spaces for retreat.
Its history is inseparable from that of Charleston and South Carolina. Likely built by Richard Capers in 1745, the house was later occupied by Colonel Jacob Motte, who served as treasurer of the colony for 27 years. Meetings of the Commons House of Assembly were held here, likely in the second-floor drawing room, before construction of the historic State House at the corner of Broad and Meeting in 1791. In 1778, the residence was occupied by Colonel James Parsons, a member of the Continental Congress who had been offered the vice presidency of South Carolina prior to the formation of the United States. After suffering extensive damage during the Civil War, the property was purchased in 1869 by Eliza Middleton Huger Smith, who restored the house. Her granddaughter, Alice Ravenel Huger Smith, grew up in the home and became one of the most celebrated artists of the Charleston Renaissance and an important chronicler of the city's architecture. Many of her watercolors and sketches depict views from the windows of 69 Church Street, and her seminal The Dwelling Houses of Charleston was published in 1917.
The current owners purchased 69 Church Street in 1998 and have continued that tradition of wonderful stewardship, undertaking extensive renovations while meticulously preserving and maintaining the property's architectural integrity.
Few Charleston residences combine this degree of architectural importance, provenance, scale, privacy, gardens and livability. Set on one of the highest elevations within the old walled city and occupying an extraordinary estate-sized parcel, 69 Church Street is more than a historic residence, it is a tangible part of Charleston's story. Properties of this caliber and significance are held for generations. The opportunity to become the next steward of one is exceedingly rare.
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