Upton Pyne Revistited - Bernardsville

The original Upton Pyne estate was the site of the first Mansion in May in 1974. Mansion in May organizers returned to the Upton Pyne site in 1991, this time using the cottage on the property as the site of this seventh Mansion in May. The cottage was constructed at the turn of the century as a coachman’s cottage on the estate of Percy R. Pyne, a New York banker, financier and philanthropist. In 1919, the 205-acre Upton Pyne Cottage became the summer residence of Mary Pyne, the sole surviving child of Pyne, and her first husband, Oliver  D. Filley. The Cottage was enlarged and renovated in 1930 according to a design by Eugene Mason of Bernardsville. This addition included bedrooms, second floor enclosed porch, domed glass dining room, ballroom and outdoor porch while providing a graceful and airy French look to the Cottage. Extensive changes and additions to the landscape areas were also made according to plans by Clarence Fowler of New York City. The cottage was home to Mr. and Mrs. Filley and their family for 40 years. After the death of Mr. Filley, Mary married a childhood friend, Charles Suydam Cutting, and they continued to reside in the Cottage until his death in 1972. Mrs. Cutting lived there until she sold the property in 1988.