Newport Restoration Foundation Buys Famed Furniture Maker Townsend's Home

The Newport Restoration Foundation has a new house to add to its collection.

The foundation announced that it has purchased the 18th century home of famed furniture maker Christopher Townsend on Bridge Street.

The house, which had been listed on the market for $725,000, was bought for $672,500, according to the state Multiple Listing Service.

The house, built in 1725, comes with Towsend's workshop attached and handcrafted metal paneling adorns one of the five original fireplaces.

The house was part of Hope Goddard's estate. She died last year and Pieter Roos, executive director of the Newport Restoration Foundation said the Goddard family was not related to the Goddard family of furniture makers in Newport in the 1700s.

Townsend is famous for his desks, bookcases and other furniture that adorned many Newport estates during his time.

Today, original Townsend pieces are highly desirable.

Townsend worked with his brother Job and they are considered to be key players in cultivating the craft of cabinetmaking in Newport. 

"It was during their lifetime that the style of furniture that is so distinctly Newport was created," the foundation said on their Facebook page.

The 2,594 square-foot house sits on a 5,663 square foot lot and features four bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms, three floors and nine rooms in all.