The house set on 100 acres is a perfect example of an American Gothic mansion wrought in stone by master craftsmen, called Glimmerstone from the sparkling mica in the stone.

The designer Lucius Page, an ingenious local carpenter/inventor, is said to have patterned it after an English country house. Through his great-grandson Clark Wardner, who was one of the masons, the house bears the influence of Philip Wiedner (or Wardner) who emigrated in 1750 from Wurtenburg, Germany, where he learned the stonecutter’s trade and was eventually awarded the certificate of master mason by the Nuremberg Guild of Masons. Clark Wardner had worked on King’s Chapel in Boston, and the work on “Glimmerstone” stands too as a memorial to a famous skill. The mortar was made from a native lime but by a zealously guarded secret formula, so that the mortar joint between the stones is as hard as the stone itself, well-nigh impervious to cracks

Five pair of oxen were kept busy all one winter, drawing the stone from a quarry a quarter of a mile away, the drivers receiving one dollar a day for their labor. The house takes its name, Glimmerstone, from the silvery sheen of the gneiss formation and mica schist; the ledges were worked by opening a hole in the formation with a powder charge, so that the slabs could be split out easily to the necessary thickness

There are many unusual features about the construction. The floor plan is in the shape of an L, 58 x 52 x 38, with large rooms and high ceilings. Although one and a half stories in height, fourteen gables give ample room in the top story. The inside woodwork is of Colonial design, entirely of first growth pine, carefully finished by carpenters from Perkinsville. Eight fireplaces, two of which are especially beautiful

In 1918 the Leon Gay family bought Glimmerstone. The Gay family had recently purchased the close by Woolen Mill. Leon’s brother, Olin, built a large home nearby. The Leon Gay family lived in the house until the mill closed in 1953.

In 1953 a new mill called Kenwood was opened and the manager, Bill Casey family moved into Glimmerstone. The Casey family resided until 1959, when the Kenwood mill closed for good. One of the sons, Bill Casey, lives nearby in Ascutney and has visited us numerous times.

The Mills family purchased the property in 1959, Under their ownership, they moved a four car carriage house and a children’s playhouse to the adjoining property to create the red house next door. The tennis court on the property has been here since the Gay family and served as the town court. One of the sons, John Mills, still lives up the lane in one of the three houses his family built.

In 1978 the property was sold and for the next 14 years numerous owners occupied the property.

In 1994 the Jenkins of Boston purchased the property and began a three year major renovation to transform the house into a wedding venue and corporate retreat. This couple has given this house another 100 plus years of life.

In September 2004, Timothy and Peter Jefferson purchased the house and grounds to open the Cavendish Inn. Jefferson brother’s have extensive food and beverage experience form the years in California. The Jefferson roots are close by in the White River Junction area as well as the Connectiut and Long Island regions.

Today, the house is open as a bed and breakfast and a venue for weddings. Please wander our website to learn more.