Sherwood-Jayne Farm

The Sherwood-Jayne Farm, landscape, and accessory structures represent a continuum of architectural design, construction, and rural site planning that stretches over two centuries. Originally built around 1730 as a lean-to salt box dwelling, the house and agricultural setting were maintained as an operational farmstead for over 150 years by members of the Jayne family.

In 1908, Preservation Long Island’s founder, Howard C. Sherwood, acquired the property to showcase his lifetime interest in collecting, studying, and living with antiques. “Restored” by Joseph Everett Chandler of Boston, one of the leading Restoration/Colonial-Revival architects of the time, the house contains period furnishings and features original late eighteenth-century hand-painted floral wall frescoes. Located in a bucolic setting, the house maintains its nineteenth-century agrarian context with hayfields, meadows, woodlot, orchard, and pasture.

Walking Tour of the Outbuildings and Landscape

The grounds of the Farm and the Suffolk County nature trails that can be accessed from the property are open to the public year-round from dawn until dusk. Click the link below for a tour of Sherwood-Jayne’s outbuildings and landscape and learn about the history of this site and life on an 18th-century farm.

Sherwood-Jayne Grounds Tour

Sherwood-Jayne Farm Nature Trail

Located on Suffolk County parkland, hikers, joggers, bird watchers, and nature lovers are invited to enjoy our trail along a glacial moraine that features local wildlife including red tailed hawks, red fox, flying squirrels, eastern box turtles, great horned owls, gray catbirds, and downy woodpeckers.

The three mile trail is open to the public year-round during daylight hours. Please note dogs are not permitted on the trails.

Download the Sherwood-Jayne Nature Trails Map (PDF)