A slice of colonial history in Beverly, Massachusetts, directly associated with the notorious Salem witch trials, has been put on the market. The home located at 252 Essex Street is now listed for $600,000, offering potential buyers a chance to own a piece of New England's dark past. The property once belonged to William Cleaves, son-in-law of Giles Corey, a farmer who became a tragic figure during the trials when he was sentenced to death by pressing after pleading "not guilty" to accusations of witchcraft.
This 1675-built, four-bedroom, two-bathroom home spans 2,315 square feet and sits on approximately 0.79 acres of land. According to Boston.com, visitors stepping inside can experience design elements from Corey's era, including wide-plank pine floors and a well in the basement—though the home is connected to city water today. The property also includes a fieldstone and dirt basement, along with a detached 1-car garage and additional storage space.
The interiors feature an assortment of aesthetic touches that hark back to its historical roots, such as beamed ceilings, a 1930s stove, and built-in hutch. The living areas enjoy views of the gardens and street, while the outdoor space includes various trees, giant rocks and even a treehouse. Diantha Phosithan of Engel & Völkers By the Sea, who has the listing, remarks, "The gardens are something that almost everybody knows." However, prospective homeowners should note, the property will require a new roof "pretty much right away."
Interested buyers with a penchant for architecture may also be intrigued by the potential "king's lumber" in some of the wide floorboards, a rare commodity during the times the home was built, likely indicating that wider planks came from reserved trees for the monarchy. As per the listing on Engel & Völkers By the Sea, the home also includes modern amenities like oil heating and window unit cooling—the boilers and units, of course, much younger than the home's original structure. For those curious about more modern metrics, the home's price per square foot comes in at $259.18, with an annual tax amount of $8,868.
