The Fenner-Matthewson Mansion, in Plainfield‘s Central Village (pdf), has been described as one of the most outstanding Italian Villa-style houses in Connecticut. It was built around 1855 by Arnold Fenner at 40 Main Street, on what became known as Central Village’s “Manufacturers’ Row.” Born in Rhode Island, Fenner settled in Central Village about 1825 and in 1827 he purchased a major interest in the Central Manufacturing Company‘s cotton-spinning mill. Fenner and Allen Harris, a pioneering manufacturer in Central Village, constructed a second brick upper mill in 1828. Harris sold his interest in the company to Fenner in 1840. Fenner later replaced the company’s original lower mill with a brick one in 1845. After his death in 1871, Fenner’s daughter, Helen Walcott Fenner, lived in the house with her husband, Philip Matthewson, who was proprietor of a general store, which he sold in 1872 to live in retirement.
I was interested in purchasing this property many years ago. Is it still on the market?
Carroll L Heath
Hi Carol
We are preparing the home for sale.. 860-450-2617
thanks Blain
My parents purchased this house in 1969. It was a beautiful home and I loved everything about it! It made me so heartbroken when I saw that they cut down ALL the trees including that magnificent magnolia tree in the from yard!! My brothers and I would play up on the 3rd tier in the back yard and we even had a tree house in one of the larger ones! Some changes are good but others should just be left alone!! I would love to be able to visit this magnificent home again some day! I live in Iowa so I don’t get back often! I don’t know how they have 6 bedrooms listed when we only had 5 upstairs in the main house! And I don’t know where the other 3 1/2 bathrooms are because we only had 1! My Dad took wood from the attic to panel half of the kitchen! It was beautiful! And the Christmases with our 12′ tree was spectacular! I have some old books from the house also! One is an old bible that belonged to Buckland Mathewson and an old bible dictionary! And an old autograph book. I also have the old buffet that came out of the dining room and an old Morrison chair that my Dad sat in all the time! And some old wicker chairs too! My parents had an artist make up some cards with the house on the front! That house is amazing with all it’s secrets!!!