“INCHCAPE”
The Historic Pancoast House
22 Andrews Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930
Contact details: regisdesilva@yahoo.com or call 617 492 8055
This historic home in the village of Lanesville, Gloucester, Massachusetts on the North Shore, about 50 minutes north of Boston, off Interstate 93 and Route 128. Lanesville has become a quiet artists' colony, very different from Rocky Neck, Gloucester, the oldest artists' colony in the US. The house was built in 1845, and was the summer painting studio of American Impressionist artist, Morris Hall Pancoast from around 1945 until his death in 1963. The home passed on the the McQueen's in 1963 and I bought it from the McQueen family in 1989. I also purchased 2 paintings from the family. Their daughter, who is also a painter and children's book illustrator, painted the two American primitives that hang in the living room of the house - a little boy and a little girl dressed in 19th century period costume.
I am grateful to Mr. Steve Ells who graciously provided me with a copy of an original photograph he took of Pancoast in the 1950s, and it can be seen at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~steveells/pancoast.html
Paintings of the house and the Lane's Cove in summer and in winter done by Pancoast can be seen at Mr. Ells site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~steveells/pancoast_more.html
RECONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION
A history of Lane's Cove and the life of the house is chornicled in Barbara Erkkila's book THE VILLAGE AT LANE'S COVE (1989), a copy of which is left in the house. It is one of only six houses that sits directely on the cove. The house, which is on 3 levels has tow medium bedrooms, two small bedrooms and one and a half baths with maple hardwood and Apaloosa pine floors throughout. It is very simple and had not been lived in for several years, and thus had suffered some damage. It has been carefully restored with builders and carpenters instructed to preserve the authentic feel of the period. The cottage has seen several iterations as a fish house, a blacksmith's foundry and a painting studio. The original attic has been expanded to create two bedrooms with large Anderson windows overlooking Lane's Cove and Ipswich Bay with almost 180 degree views of the water. Crane's Beach can be seen directly on the other side of Ipswich Bay, and Seabrook, NH, is to the northeast.
The rocky backyard was overgrown with dandelions and digitalis shrubs and two old locust trees. It was graded with two truckloads of loam and a small lawn and a flagstone patio created. The backyard is enclosed by a picket fence covered with Virginia creeper. The house is furnished with antique and old furniture, pictures and maps from the era purchased from the previous owners and from antique stores in Essex and Gloucester.
HOUSE LAYOUT
The house has a view of the water from every room and is laid out as follows:
Top floor: Two bedrooms, with one queen and one twin bed with sweeping views of the water and the great granite sea wall to the north. The main bedroom has a flat screen television set with cable and broadband Internet access
Middle (street) floor: Living room. Two bedrooms (one double and one twin bed.) One half-bathroom off living room
Lowest floor: Second living room/day room. Eat-in kitchen with table to seat six, old GE stove, refrigerator with separate freezer, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, cutlery and china. Full bathroom with bathtub and shower. Laundry room with washer and dryer in cellar space
Yard: Small private enclosed yard outside kitchen with flagstone patio, outdoor furniture, market umbrella and barbecue. Overlooks Lane's Cove landing dock and ocean.
BEACH ACCESS
The nearest swimming beach is Plum Cove Beach with is a 5-minute walk down the road. A beach permit to access any beach in Gloucester is available from City Hall for a small fee if the rental is for 4-week minimum with a letter from the owner. Lane's Cove is not generally suitable for swimming, but scuba diving is permitted off the rocks nearby.
RENTAL
The house is occasionally available for rental. It is available for 2-week periods during the summer. It may be available weekly at a time in the off-season. Rentals include water, heat, linens, and cleaning. However, the lease specifies certain terms and conditions related to maintaining safety and cleanliness. The house is most suited to artists, writers, and those who are not primarily interested in being on a large busy beach. Rent ranges from $600 to $1300/week and is negotiable depending on the duration, the number of people and the season. A discount is offered to single occupants and starving artists and writers who wish solitude. Smoking is not permitted and pets are negotiable.
LOCATION ON CAPE ANN AND AMENITIES
The house is near Halibut Point State Park which is near the tip of Cape Ann. The park is an old granite quarry where you can take tours in summer. Windhover, the summer theater, is a short drive down the road, as are two restaurants - a seafood place and a hamburger joint with outdoor seating overlooking Folly Cove. The GRIND is a great little coffee-sandwich shop in the village. There is a local bus service (Cape Ann Transportation Authority - CATA) that runs around the cape on Rte. 127, with transportation to Rockport and downtown Gloucester (10 min to Rockport train station traveling to Boston for day guests). There are trains stations in both Gloucester and Rockport on the Newburyport commuter line (see: www.mbta.com).
There is an old country post office, some antique galleries, a spa, a kayak rental shop, the aforementioned GRIND coffe shop and a liquor store only a short walk from the house. Bike and hiking trails, as well as fishing and scuba diving, are within easy access. Boats may be launched off the lip of Lane's Cove at the back of the house.
There are some good restaraunts in downtown Gloucester clustered on and around Main Street - PASSPORTS (Euro-American), ALCHEMY (Bistro), JALAPENO (Mexican), and the very inexpensive THAI TASTE (Thai). The LONE GULL is an artistic coffeehouse on Main Street. Main street has a number of interesting shops, art and photo galleries and antique and book shops. There are also several seafood places and the Blackburn Tavern (made famous in the movie THE PERFECT STORM) on the waterfront. In addition, Rockport, which is 10 minutes down the road from the house, has a number of fine restaurants, antique stores and art galleries
