SOUL OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

Seamlessly blending historic character with modern luxury, the property offers an authentic Lowcountry experience with effortless access to Old Town Bluffton’s vibrant art galleries, chef-driven restaurants, open-air markets, and the gentle rhythm of river life. 

Cradled beneath a canopy of twelve ancient live oaks and overlooking the shimmering May River, the estate invites a connection to the landscape that is both serene and deeply rooted in place. A covered pier and floating dock extend the living space onto the water, where mornings begin with soft golden light on the tide and evenings settle into quiet rituals of fishing, birdwatching, and the occasional dolphin gliding past. Whether on foot or by golf cart, residents and guests can easily reach the boutiques, cafés, and historic lanes that give Bluffton its soulful charm. 

The story of the property traces back to Dr. Paul Pritchard, a respected rice planter and physician who, in 1850, built the first Pritchard House as a summer retreat for his wife, Martha Catherine Kirk, and their six sons. Like much of Bluffton, the home was destroyed during the Civil War in 1863. In the mid-1890s, one of Dr. Pritchard’s sons, Charles Teft Pritchard, rebuilt the residence with thoughtful orientation toward the May River, designing it to capture prevailing breezes long before air conditioning existed. At that time, the home was accessible only by ferry, meaning today’s traditional “rear” façade was once the formal front entry. The architectural style—a Carolina farmhouse accented with Queen Anne elements—emerged naturally from this riverside vantage point.  

For more than fifty years the property sat abandoned, overtaken by vines and time, until Peter Lamb and Lucy Scardino discovered it on their honeymoon in 1995. Enchanted by its beauty and history, they “lovingly restored” the estate, working alongside preservation experts to revive its integrity. Their stewardship preserved original heart pine floors, doors, and select windows; handsome details that remain at the heart of the home today. 

The ensuing restoration, led by preservationist Beekman Webb, followed National Register of Historic Places guidelines and celebrated the home’s defining characteristics: heart pine construction, soaring 12-foot beadboard ceilings, and tall pocket windows that usher in natural light. The house’s distinctive cant—angled toward the southwest breezes— reveals a sophisticated, early climate strategy. Its “wind catcher” design cycles cool air beneath the pier foundation and releases warm air upward, creating a naturally tempered interior environment refined by generations.

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