Ten Chimneys Tour

Ten Chimneys is the home, or should I say the ’estate’, that was owned by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne – well known theatre actors of the early to mid 1900’s. Alfred and Lynn were actually much more popular than I was aware, and had friends along the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward and Helen Hayes.

Their popularity and prestige among other actors and actresses was such that it was said you had really achieved ‘something’ if you were invited to Ten Chimneys. This website (opens new window) presents a bit of the history of Alfred and Lynn, and displays some very nice pictures of the estate.

I toured Ten Chimneys in the fall of 2010 for the first time. Can’t say that I had ever heard of these actors before, but I’m so glad that I went!

It’s amazing that the home has remained in the exact condition that it was in when Alfred and Lynn were alive. A few caretakers and family members made sure that it wasn’t touched after Lynn’s death in 1983, and when it came close to being torn down for commercial development, the foundation was formed in 1996 to save it.

It has been open to the public since May of 2003.

As I was told on the tour, Alfred and Lynn loved ‘the stage’ and the creativity that came along with their craft. Being stage actors, they had the mindset that once a ‘set’ was complete, it was complete! There were no changes made once it was done, and that ‘set’ remained the same set that was used performance after performance after performance.

This is the same mindset that the Lunts had when building and decorating their home. No detail was left undone, and once it was done, it was done!

The tour guide told us that Alfred took exact measurements of every square inch of the house, and when he purchased an item, such as a table or a lamp, he knew exactly where it would go in the house, and once it was located in its proper location, it never moved!

There are a million fascinating details at Ten Chimneys, such as the decoration of the gate to the home – a Swedish symbol for ‘welcome’ – as it was important that everyone who visited their home felt welcome. This symbol is present throughout the estate along with numerous other signs that you were ‘welcome’ to visit.

Several of their friends who came for regular and extended visits actually had identified bedrooms throughout the home, many of which included details that were unique to the guest.

My favorite part of the estate, however, are the cute touches that give you a glimpse into the type of relationship that the Lunts had. These two were not just glamorous actors that lived a ‘posh’ lifestyle, they were

fun-loving, kind, generous people who truly adored each other!

Throughout the main house there are several porcelain busts of women with one breast exposed! Yep, you read that correctly! Someone commented on it during the tour, and the guide told us that they believe it was Alfred’s joke to Lynn based on one play that they did. Lynn had worn a toga for the play, and the material sagged to such a degree that her breast was exposed. Alfred reportedly tried to get her attention while on stage, to which she became very annoyed and scolded him once behind curtain. He explained what had happened, and she told him to never do anything that would cause her to forget her lines!

The two, once paired, made arrangements that they would always act together in plays – one would never be cast without the other and they also made arrangements to work throughout the year and have every summer off at Ten Chimneys.

This was their time to engage in hobbies – Alfred would tend to his garden, Lynn would sew, and they would host numerous visits from friends all summer long.

I believe that the spirit or intention of people can often be left behind in a home – and when taking this tour, you can literally feel the love that these two had for each other, the love they had for life, and the love that they had for others. You can feel the positive energy of Ten Chimneys, and the wonderful times that must’ve occurred on this estate.

The official website (opens new window) has information on tours and directions to the estate.

Tours only run through mid-November, and I’d recommend scheduling a tour in late spring when the gardens are in full-bloom. While it was certainly beautiful in fall, the gardens are restored to (almost) the condition they were in when Alfred attended to them. I say ‘almost’ because Alfred was meticulous about his gardens, as he was with his house and every other detail in his life. While I’m sure that the horticulturists can’t completely replicate his dedication, I believe they come close! :)

Enjoy your visit to Ten Chimneys!

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