Elm Court Estate History and Renovation

The Elm Court Livity Federation includes Elm Court School. Elm Court School and The Livity School are two SEND schools in Lambeth that make up the Federation. Elm Court is a special school for students with learning disabilities and related social and communication issues who are between the ages of 9 and 19. Numerous of our students have autism. Our goal is to offer a stimulating and useful learning environment with an emphasis on success, the growth of civic responsibility, and life skills.

The Elm Court’s History

The Elm Court Estate continues to hold the record for largest American Shingle Style residence in the country with 55,000 square feet and 106 rooms. The building was constructed in 1886 by William Douglas Sloane, Emily Vanderbilt, Peabody & Stearns, and Cornelius Vanderbilt “The Commodore,” Emily’s grandfather. Shelburne Farms was created in Shelburne, Vermont by Emily’s sister Eliza (Lila), and The Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, by Emily’s brother George. Elm Court and both properties are listed as National Historic Landmarks.

Construction and Maintenance

The Elm Court Estate was initially built as a summer retreat for friends and family. After numerous structural and decorative upgrades, the house was finally completed around the turn of the century. The League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles were ultimately created as a result of the Elm Court Negotiations that took place there in 1919.

Garden and Estate

a residential landscape designed by horticulturists, amateur gardeners, landscape architects, and landscape designers. Private domestic gardens have existed from the early days of colonization. These private gardens could be small-scale or cover hundreds of acres. Traditionally, estate designs have included a variety of smaller landscape areas and different architectural components. An individual garden’s design will vary greatly and convey the ideas of both the designer and the owner depending on the geographic location, environmental factors, landscape characteristics, neighborhood setting, existing architecture, and current styles.

Preservation of Elm Court Estate

In 1999, family descendants started working on the planning and restoration of Elm Court. Along with her son and his wife, a great-grandmother started this monumental undertaking. To conserve the past, live in the present, and advance for the future is the principle behind our project.

On-going renovations

But, it appears that Emily and William weren’t entirely happy with their summer pile since during their stay at the house, they made various improvements, added rooms, and hired more personnel to take care of their requirements. In actuality, it wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century that the property was truly completed. The home would have made quite the first impression with its expansive cream and red facade, towering turrets, lattice windows, and Tudor-style embellishments. Elm Court, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, was the final Berkshires “cottage” to stay in the hands of its original owners.