Philanthropists’ former Rockville home listed for $1.7M

A 40-acre property has been put up for sale in Hanover County. Photos courtesy CVRMLS.

A 40-acre property has been put up for sale in Hanover County. Photos courtesy CVRMLS.

The former home of one of Richmond’s most philanthropic couples is up for sale in Rockville.

The country manor house and 40-acre property known as Walnut Hill in southwestern Hanover County was listed last month for $1.69 million.

The property, at 12428 Walnut Hill Drive, off Pouncey Tract Road northwest of Short Pump, was once part of a 450-acre farm owned by Harwood and Louise Cochrane, major donors and former board members of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The couple donated the farm to the VMFA, which partnered with real estate firm Midlothian Enterprises to develop the land as a residential community. The 40-acre manor house property was sold in 2006 to current owners Richard and Diane Burgess, who are represented by Pam Diemer of Long & Foster Real Estate.

Diemer said the Burgesses fully renovated the house, which was built in 1954 and features millwork from Long Branch Plantation in Northern Virginia. Located beside the South Anna River, the property is also minutes from the commercial hub of Short Pump, which Diemer said would appeal to a variety of home-seekers.

“It’s a beautiful, pastoral neighborhood, yet it has such great proximity to Short Pump,” Diemer said. “You feel like you’re worlds away, but yet you’re probably 15 minutes to Short Pump conveniences. That makes for a very compelling buy for someone.”

Diemer said the home was listed in mid-September but has not been marketed until now due to time needed to produce an online video tour and other marketing materials. She said she’s marketing the listing broadly, with no particular type of buyer in mind.

“I think this property will have appeal to both local and out-of-area buyers, and it could appeal to all age groups,” Diemer said. “It’s on the river. There are a lot of amenities here.

“It also could be used as a recreational or retreat property for a local family, and it could be a second home,” she said. “People are looking for second homes now closer to where their primary home is, because that means they can really enjoy it.”

Amenities include nearby equestrian trails, a 1-acre fishing pond and a swimming pool. The property also includes a two-bedroom guest cottage.

The Georgian-style manor house consists of 13 rooms totaling 6,500 square feet of space. The two-story brick house features a columned portico on the front, and the interior includes five bedrooms and 6½ bathrooms.

Other features include a rec room with a fireplace and wine cellar, an outdoor stone fireplace and barbecue station, a garden storehouse with slate roof and a greenhouse.

The home is included in the Walnut Hill homeowners association and requires a $1,500 yearly association fee for road maintenance and snow removal.

The home is one of the latest million-dollar listings to hit the local market in recent weeks. Other recent additions include a mansion on Richmond’s Monument Avenue, a penthouse condo in Shockoe Slip, and a Tudor Revival mansion on Cary Street Road.

A 40-acre property has been put up for sale in Hanover County. Photos courtesy CVRMLS.

A 40-acre property has been put up for sale in Hanover County. Photos courtesy CVRMLS.

The former home of one of Richmond’s most philanthropic couples is up for sale in Rockville.

The country manor house and 40-acre property known as Walnut Hill in southwestern Hanover County was listed last month for $1.69 million.

The property, at 12428 Walnut Hill Drive, off Pouncey Tract Road northwest of Short Pump, was once part of a 450-acre farm owned by Harwood and Louise Cochrane, major donors and former board members of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The couple donated the farm to the VMFA, which partnered with real estate firm Midlothian Enterprises to develop the land as a residential community. The 40-acre manor house property was sold in 2006 to current owners Richard and Diane Burgess, who are represented by Pam Diemer of Long & Foster Real Estate.

Diemer said the Burgesses fully renovated the house, which was built in 1954 and features millwork from Long Branch Plantation in Northern Virginia. Located beside the South Anna River, the property is also minutes from the commercial hub of Short Pump, which Diemer said would appeal to a variety of home-seekers.

“It’s a beautiful, pastoral neighborhood, yet it has such great proximity to Short Pump,” Diemer said. “You feel like you’re worlds away, but yet you’re probably 15 minutes to Short Pump conveniences. That makes for a very compelling buy for someone.”

Diemer said the home was listed in mid-September but has not been marketed until now due to time needed to produce an online video tour and other marketing materials. She said she’s marketing the listing broadly, with no particular type of buyer in mind.

“I think this property will have appeal to both local and out-of-area buyers, and it could appeal to all age groups,” Diemer said. “It’s on the river. There are a lot of amenities here.

“It also could be used as a recreational or retreat property for a local family, and it could be a second home,” she said. “People are looking for second homes now closer to where their primary home is, because that means they can really enjoy it.”

Amenities include nearby equestrian trails, a 1-acre fishing pond and a swimming pool. The property also includes a two-bedroom guest cottage.

The Georgian-style manor house consists of 13 rooms totaling 6,500 square feet of space. The two-story brick house features a columned portico on the front, and the interior includes five bedrooms and 6½ bathrooms.

Other features include a rec room with a fireplace and wine cellar, an outdoor stone fireplace and barbecue station, a garden storehouse with slate roof and a greenhouse.

The home is included in the Walnut Hill homeowners association and requires a $1,500 yearly association fee for road maintenance and snow removal.

The home is one of the latest million-dollar listings to hit the local market in recent weeks. Other recent additions include a mansion on Richmond’s Monument Avenue, a penthouse condo in Shockoe Slip, and a Tudor Revival mansion on Cary Street Road.

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Brian Ezzelle
Brian Ezzelle
8 years ago

You missed the most important part of Harwood Cochrane’s biography, he was founder of Richmond based Overnite Transportation Company which is today UPS Freight. He is a major figure in the trucking industry.