435 Morris Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 : Property For Sale: US $15,500,000

Extraordinary! 15 plus acres: The most important historic and centrally located estate on the Main Line.

Property Highlights

• 15 plus acres
• Interior Design details murals and stained glass specified by Van Ingen

• Architect: William Price

Property Description

"Glenmede" is the most prominent and architecturally significant estate on the Main Line and home to the Pew family since 1904. Built in the late 1800’s and designed by the renowned architect William Price it sits on 15 rare acres with a pool house, gardeners' cottage, carriage house and gate house.


"Glenmede" was originally built for Mr. George S. Graham, a prominent Pennsylvania congressman at the turn of the century. It was through his connections that that the most prominent architect of the day, William Price, and the prestigious muralist William Van Ingen were commissioned, the former to design this magnificent home and the other to provide murals and many of the fabulous decorative features of the estate, including leaded stained glass and irreplaceable fixtures and hardware.



The estate then passed to the Pew Family, the founders of The Sun Oil Company, now Sunoco. It was the Pew family who named the estate "Glenmede". In the 1990’s the Pew family bequeathed Glenmede to Bryn Mawr College which was responsible for an extensive updating of the mechanicals and infrastructure ongoing from 2001. Now returned to private ownership and conserved, "Glenmede" represents the most important estate in the heart of the Main Line.


The magnificent Tudor mansion is constructed of red brick with Indiana limestone trimmings. The gables have half timbered work with ornamental verge boards. The setting, which on top of a hill, is incomparably private and features magnificent mature specimen trees, a terrace lawn with balustrade, and a vast open lawn which is central to the entire compound.


The Main floor is entered by a vestibule and hall with a groined and vaulted ceiling supported by oaked pilasters and carved capitals. The ornamental staircase has a broad landing and a bay window with the original stained glass. The step down living room is trimmed in dark oak with seven foot paneled wainscoting; paneled seats and bookcases again with original leaded glass doors. The Living Room is highlighted by a fireplace with mantel facings of Indiana limestone. The massive beamed ceiling has the original and very valuable murals painted by William B. Van Ingen who is also did the stained glass. The Gothic style billiard room has a beamed ceiling open to the roof, again with the original murals by Van Ingen, wainscoting, leaded glass windows and an inglenook fireplace with the limestone mantel and facings. The oak trimmed Family room has paneled wainscoting and ceiling beams with a brick fireplace that has a limestone and oak mantel. The Formal Dining Room enjoys wooden white enameled moldings. Finally the first floor enjoys a charming informal dining room detailed in exposed brick featuring five large arched windows. Upstairs, the many bedrooms are trimmed with curly popular and white enameled pine. Many of which have private fireplaces. The Master Suite, including a dressing room, is very large and enjoys the largest upstairs fireplace.


A fabulous opportunity, this is the first time that Glenmede has ever been offered publicly for sale.


(About life on Philadelphia’s Main Line)



Today, The Main Line represents convenient and gracious living, but this famous region is deeper than just its famous name. The “Main Line” earned its nick name at the turn of the century as an extension of the main line of the railroad leading west out of Philadelphia. The towns along the way like Ardmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Rosemont Wayne and Devon quickly became hugely popular, first as weekend retreats for the wealthy and then as suburban communities with exceptional convenience to the city of Philadelphia.



Today, the Main Line is defined by its diversity of homes, convenience of shopping, graciousness of living, and the proximity to the culture and excitement of cities like Philadelphia (approximately 25 minutes to Center City) and New York City and Washington DC (both about 2 hours).


Sophisticated shopping can be had at the legendary King of Prussia Mall or at more intimate centers like Ardmore’s Suburban Square. The Main Line is a dynamic region for many people who work within minutes of where they live. Not always the case, many residents of the Main Line find it easy enough to work in Wilmington, Delaware; Southern New Jersey, and quite often New York City (less than an hour on Amtrak's Acela).



The experience of the Main Line includes a stunning array of diversity that range from museums like Philadelphia’s Museum of Fine Art, The Franklin Institute and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts to pastoral meadows, country lanes, and wooded streams. When you add it up, the Main Line is a place to live like no other.



Highest Rated Schools: (partial list)

Public: Gladwyne Elementary, Welsh Valley Middle School, and the 100 million dollar plus Lower Merion High School and Harriton High School, Radnor High School and Conestoga High School

Private: (coed) Episcopal Academy, since 1785; Shipley School; Friend's Central; Rosemont School of the Holy Child; (all girls) Agness Irwin School, Baldwin School, Sacred Heart School; (all boys) Haverford School

Legenday Golf, Tennis and Squash: (partial list)

Merion Golf Club, Gulph Mill Golf Club, Aronnomik, Overbrook Golf club, Philadelphia Country Club, Merion Cricket Club, Bala Cynwyd Raquet Club, Berwyn Squash and Fitness, Fairmount Athletic Club

For Sale

US $15,500,000

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