Tenney Castle Gatehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tenney Castle Gatehouse
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Methuen, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Damon Brothers |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| MPS | Methuen MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002438 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1984 |
The Tenney Castle Gatehouse is a historic building in Methuen, Massachusetts. It once served as the main entrance to a large estate owned by a wealthy local businessman, Charles H. Tenney. This special gatehouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 20, 1984. It is the only part of the original Tenney estate that still stands today.
Contents
The Gatehouse's Story
How the Gatehouse Began
The building we now call the gatehouse started as a simple stone farmhouse. It was built by Richard Whittier between August and November of 1830. This farmhouse had two stories and a classic design with a front entrance in the middle.
Changes Over Time
In 1882, Charles H. Tenney bought the farmhouse. He wanted it to be the grand entrance to his large, 76-acre estate called Grey Court. So, in 1883, he hired architects known as Damon Brothers to redesign it.
The Damon Brothers changed the farmhouse into a beautiful gatehouse. They gave it a unique style called Queen Anne Victorian. This included changing the roof to a sloped, "hipped" style. They also added a fancy tower with a weathervane on one corner. A porch was built to cover the entrance, and its roof had decorative shingles.
The Estate and the Gatehouse Today
The Tenney family later gave some of their land to the town for a school. In the 1950s, they offered the main castle and the rest of the estate to Methuen, but the town did not accept it. The property was then sold to a religious group.
Over time, the main castle fell into disrepair. After being abandoned, it was badly damaged by fires. Most of the grand castle was eventually taken down. Today, only a small part of its walls remains.
However, the Tenney Castle Gatehouse survived! It is now home to the Methuen Museum of History. The Methuen Historical Society takes care of it. Other buildings from the original estate, like the old stables, also still stand. The land that was once the Tenney estate is now a state park called Greycourt Park.
