Wentworth-Gardner House

Description:

• Arguably the most handsome mansion in the Seacoast region, this is considered one of the nation's best examples of Georgian architecture. The 1760 home features many period elements, including pronounced quoins (blocks on the building's corners), pedimented window caps, plank sheathing (to make the home appear as if made of masonry), an elaborate doorway with Corinthian pilasters, a broken scroll, and a paneled door topped with a pineapple, the symbol of hospitality. Perhaps most memorable is its scale -- though a grand home of the Colonial era, it's modest in scope; some architectural circles today may not consider it much more than a pool house.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010