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A visit to Bryn Coed Preserve is a picture postcard of the best of Chester County : rolling woodlands , meadows , and farm fields stretch for miles . Bald Eagles ride the thermals in slow , graceful circles , and songbirds chatter in the trees .
This land has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years , originally by the Lenape and , more recently , by European settlers who found the county ’ s rich soil ideal for farming . As a result , the landscape ’ s natural beauty is complemented by picturesque farmhouses and barns .
“ Natural Lands ’ mission is saving land , not saving buildings ,” said Scott Wendle , vice president of preserve stewardship . “ But buildings often accompany and complement the land we conserve , so we carefully evaluate structures to determine their best use . Occasionally we create a small lot that includes a residence and then sell that parcel to help support the ongoing care of a larger preserve . Sometimes , especially when a building has cultural or historical significance , we restore the building to enhance the beauty and function of the preserve .”
When Natural Lands purchased Bryn Coed Farms in 2016 to save its 1,505 acres from significant development , the property contained 15 farmhouses , 13 barns , and 40 other outbuildings . All but one of these buildings have been sold as part of the conservation easement parcels that make up the Bryn Coed Conservation Community . The remaining structure , the early 19th-century Ralston House , is within the boundaries of the 520-acre Bryn Coed Preserve and has sat unoccupied for several years .
Now , thanks to an extraordinary gift from long-time Natural Lands friend and supporter Penny Wilson , this historical farmhouse will undergo a complete restoration .
The house was constructed between 1800 and 1820 by Major Robert Ralston , a prosperous farmer
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Saurabh , one of our volunteer photographers