Inside, the glowing heart pine floors throughout the home are one of the most attractive features. Tall ceilings, original hardware, and beautifully appointed details welcome you into a unique home that has endured for more than 167 years. You have to intentionally wander through the whole floor plan just to gain a perspective on the upscale bathrooms, 12 fireplaces, mud room with boot bench, laundry room with ample shelving, dumbwaiter running up from the basement, huge pocket doors in the sitting rooms, spacious bedrooms with built-in closet space, billiard room with wet bar, and the stunning gourmet chef's kitchen with slate countertops and stainless steel appliances and massive island.

A master bedroom suite, as discerning buyers may be aware, was not on the list of 19th-century home builders' amenities. But Monticola offers one. Just off the towering ceilings of the master bedroom is the cozy bathroom suite, with jetted tub across from its own little gas fireplace. Bowl sinks and toilet and a separate shower complete the convenience. And etched on the window is one of the more poignant historical elements you'll find on the property - but you have to come visit to discover more about that mystery.

Up a narrow staircase and through the attic, threading your way through the massive timbers of the home's framing, you can walk up a ship's ladder and out on to the cupola, where a railing surrounds the top of the roof and allows you one of the most magnificent pastoral views anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic. The 292 acres of peaceful pasture and woods stretches around you as far as the eye can see, and the James River makes its lazy way down to the Chesapeake Bay. It is here that you realize what attracted you to Monticola: some of the most exquisite solitude you've ever experienced.

Outside the home, the professional landscaping invites you to wander among the mature boxwoods and all the outbuildings (smokehouse, cottage, and various sheds) to take in the immediate setting around you. There's a private spot just off the retaining walls by the walkout basement that's perfect for a light lunch on a summer day. Just across the driveway is an in-ground pool with sparkling blue water and plenty of room for sunbathing. The gated entrance with video security, almost half a mile away through the picturesque Albemarle woods all around you, ensures your absolute privacy.

We've left out quite a bit: The Rockhouse Branch that flows through the property, the old graveyard, the secret entrance through the pines that nobody knows about, the grand entrance down on the James that hasn't been opened up yet, the outdoor studio waiting for you to finish it out and set up shop with your favorite hobby, the pump house, the almost $1M available to the new owner in conservation easement tax credits, and last but not least, all the stories and history that still linger around Monticola like mist on the morning hills. Schedule your tour of this grand country estate home and find out if it's the one you've waiting to make your very own.

Monticola is offered for sale by Dunterry, LLC at $4,995,000. Additional acreage is available. Seller financing may be available; agents are welcome. Equal Housing Opportunity.