Used in 'Pretty Little Liars' filming, this $4.3 million Fishkill property is for sale

An English manor compound with a rich history that sits in Fishkill has been put on the market for $4.385 million and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Willow Lake Farm's spacious setting has been used as a film set for HBO series, including the latest iteration of "Pretty Little Liars," with shooting for the upcoming second season just wrapping up.

The property is now awaiting its next owner, with former owners Richard and Peggy Birney ready to move on to their next endeavor.

"Our family has loved living and entertaining on the property, which is steeped in local history and provides a true sense of privacy and well-being," Richard and Peggy Birney said in a statement. "It is time to pass the torch to the next stewards to enjoy this beloved residence and property with their family and friends."

Sandra Park, Global Luxury Specialist and licensed real estate broker affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty in New York, is representing the property. The property is also listed with the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Program in coordination with Park.

"Many long-standing residents in the region have an affinity for the history of this property," Park said in a statement.

More: For 10 years, this 100-acre Fishkill lakeside lodge was a refuge to city elite

Peering into the history of Willow Lake Farm

Willow Lake Farm's 105 acres was previously part of a 68,000-acre parcel dating back to a 1683 treaty between the Wappingers First Nation tribe and Frances Rombout and Gulian Verplank. Rombout was a speculator from New York City, and Verplank his partner and second-generation American in the beaver trade. They both came from what was the Dutch Netherlands, present-day Belgium.

In the early 1700s, 28,000 acres of the land passed from Rombout and was inherited by Madam Brett.

At this time, land tenants farmed, but the acreage was owned by the social elite. However, Brett was cash-poor and land-rich, deciding to scale down the acreage into smaller parcels, which she sold to those outside the social elite.

A progressive action for the time, it gave Dutchess County a jumpstart as a potential area for land ownership opportunities in New York.

Jumping to the late 1800s, the first mayor of Fishkill, Henry DuBois Van Wyck, developed the property into Knickerbocker Lodge as a retreat for the city elite. However, a fire in the early 1900s left the manor in ashes.

More: These 4 were the most expensive homes on the market in Dutchess County at the end of 2023

In 1924, Willow Lake Farm emerged, with its first owner inspired by admiring residences in the English countryside in trips abroad. Upon his return to the States, the owner wanted to replicate architectural features he'd seen, and made the home into the English manor it is today.

About the English manor

Historic relics can still be found on the property, one being the blacksmith's fire pit used to forge iron hardware. Some believe the stone walls still intact are from the 1700s.

Otherwise, the immense manor of just over 4,500 square feet includes five bedrooms, three full bathrooms as well as two half-baths. There is also an extensive lakeside patio, resting on stone remains of the Knickerbocker Lodge. Along with the lake, springs and streams run through the property, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

The manor has modern amenities, but still holds historic details and craftsmanship through careful preservation.

On the property, there is also three guest houses that were built between 1928 and 1982, which can accommodate five individual units. Each is equipped with a kitchen, some having fireplaces. The property can easily accommodate 20 or more guests with a grand total of over 10,000 square feet.

There is also a hen house with a coop, greenhouse, workshop and horse stalls, stable, an open-air gazebo on the lakeside built upon a stone water tower from the 1800s, plus a screened-in gazebo on the stream, as well as two- and three-car garages.

A creative retreat can also be found in the woods on the property, referred to as "Tree Tops," with a stream and waterfall at its side.

For more information on the property, contact Sandra Park at spark@hudsonvalleynest.com.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: 'Pretty Little Liars' filmed at $4.3 million Fishkill English manor