The Estate Cosmetics Built - Sefton Manor

House Museum

Jun 10

Sefton Manor, now called Mill Neck Manor, is a Tudor-Revival mansion that sits on 86 acres on the north shore of Long Island overlooking the Sound in Mill Neck. The house was built in 1923 by the architectural firm of Clinton & Russell for Robert Leftwich Dodge and his wife, cosmetic heiress Lillian Sefton Dodge. The mansion exterior was inspired by St. Catherine’s Court in Somerset, England.

Lillian Sefton Dodge was the President of Harriet Hubbard Ayer Inc., a cosmetic manufacturing company. She began running the company after the death of her first husband, Vincent B. Thomas, in 1918. She sold the company to Lever Brothers in 1947 for over $5 million.

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Shown here is the front facade of Sefton Manor, now called Mill Neck Manor. It is a two and a half story home with thirty-four rooms.

The 500 year-old solid oak front entry doors have unusual hardware made by Samuel Yellin.

The Great Room with stone fireplace, plaster ceiling and dark wood paneling

Living room fireplace detail

The dual staircase with dark wood paneling

The house features these four large stained glass windows that depict five Shakespeare plays: Hamlet, MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Tempest. The windows were created by Charles Connick of Boston, at a cost of around $10,000 each, in 1927.

The detail of one of the hand-sculpted patterned plaster ceilings

These next few pictures were taken in the “Lillian Room”, an entire room dedicated to Lillian Sefton Dodge’s many professional and personal achievements. Lillian, who paved her way in the cosmetic industry soon became the highest paid female executive in America in the 1930’s.

Beautiful wood paneling and floors

The home includes many original architectural details including these floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows.

The original farm buildings, built in 1929, were converted into classroom space.

Charles Wellfort Leavitt was the landscape architect of the estate including the formal gardens with Love Temple.

Most of the rooms’ interiors were inspired from English regal homes and palaces.

The Great Room decorated for the Holidays

Eye-catching details throughout the house

The service staff call bell system

Almost all of the interior iron work, from the door handles to the accent pieces, were done by famed iron worker Samuel Yellin.

Custom lighting fixture and hand-sculpted plaster ceiling

Beautiful wood doors compliment the wood paneling in the hallway.

A wood-paneled hallway

The upper floor skylight

A quiet place with a view

Another outbuilding on the estate grounds

In 1949, Lutheran Friends of the Deaf purchased Sefton Manor on 86 acres from Lillian Sefton Dodge for $216,000 with the intent of opening a school inside the home.

The manor house was used for classes until 2002, when a new building was constructed. At that time the house underwent an extensive restoration to return the home to as close to its original look as possible, and opened for tours starting in 2011. Some restoration is on-going.

What you should know:

One price includes parking, gardens and mansion tour.
Tours are available by appointment only once a month on Sundays; check the website for times and dates.
A sign language interpreter can be provided by request for guests who are deaf.
Your payment helps benefit deaf children and adults.
The guided house tour is 90 minutes, but if you can spend more time, walk the grounds.

Location: 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY. 11765

For more information: Mill Neck Manor or email events@millneck.org