Foxhunting Life with Horse and Hound

At the outset of any major renovation, addition, or restoration, the physical goal is to create a pleasing, functional space. But it’s the essence and character that brings a house to life, that intangible "something" that charms, welcomes, and envelops family and friends alike. Such is the Carriage House, which at one time was a true carriage house and stables for a larger property called Pine Grove, but is now a stand-alone residence in the heart of Aiken, South Carolina.

Poplar Grange is the happy outcome of a potential problem: loss of hunting country to the Piedmont Fox Hounds and unwanted development next to Zohar Ben-Dov’s Kinross Farm.

In 2007 Ben-Dov learned belatedly that more than a hundred acres to his north had been sold almost as it came on the market, and, most worrisome, to a developer.

Not often does a property come on the market that features stunning views, historic references, original detailing, famous residents, three houses, a traditional fixture each hunting season, and a commanding presence in the community. Such a property is Woodley, a remarkable 383-acre working farm situated in the heart of the Blue Ridge Hunt country, positioned high on a ridge offering exceptional views of the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains, and its own point-to-point course.