Jasper County is the southernmost county in the state of South Carolina and contains sixty-two plantations. Chelsea is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all. Chelsea was established in the early 1800’s. It was a working plantation in the beginning, but has been used for hunting now for well over a century. Chelsea is located southwest of Beaufort, South Carolina near the confluence of two creeks and two rivers. It is a beautiful area, a meeting place of land and water inhabited by all types of wildlife. Chelsea has over seven and a half miles of shoreline. It is a place where one can watch dolphin play while picnicking on a quail hunt.

Please scroll through the images below to view this beautiful property.

The main house is located on a peninsula at the end of a long oak lined drive. The house was built in 1937 by Marshall Field, III. Field purchased the property from the Chelsea Hunting Club after the original house burned in 1936. The architects for the new house were Simons and Lapham from Charleston. The Chelsea House is magnificent and was ironically called his “quail lodge” by Mr. Field. The rooms are elegant and spacious with beautiful hardwood floors and high ceilings. The house is in a magical setting surrounded by rye grassed lawns in the winter and formal gardens.

Life at Chelsea revolves around hunting. Some of the best bird dogs in the world hunt at Chelsea. Quail are hunted typically from horseback with mule drawn wagons complete with staff taking out two hunting parties to different hunting courses each day. The plantation also has four duck ponds, two dove fields. Deer and wild turkeys are everywhere. If that is not enough, inland fishing is available in thousands of acres of tidal creeks, marsh flats, rivers and bays that surround the plantation.

 Three Quail in The Drive

The plantation’s improvements include a manager’s house, stables, kennels, equipment sheds, farm office and eight workman’s houses.

For more information on Chlesea’s architecture and history please view the PDF below the photographs. Report by JD Myles.

The stable has nineteen stalls and is located near the kennels, plantation office, and manager's house. There are twenty five bird dogs, ten horses, six mules and two mule wagons.

 The Chelsea boat dock is on an island accessed by causeway. The Atlantic Ocean is about a one hour's cruise away.

 Chelsea House from the Boat Dock

Chelsea is unencumbered by any permanent conservation easements. Substantial tax benefits could be available to a buyer willing to protect the property from future development. Over 217,000 acres of plantation lands between Charleston and Savannah have been protected by conservation easements. The Ace Basin and surrounding areas of the Carolina Low Country cover millions of acres of natural habitat forming one of the most beautiful wild places east of the Mississippi.

Chelsea is in two tracts. The north tract is approximately 1878 acres and contains four duck ponds, a dove field, and quail courses. The south tract is approximately 4014 acres and contains the main house and other buildings, a dove field and more quail courses. Both tracts have substantial water frontage. An island near the main house is accessed by a causeway and contains the Chelsea boat dock. The Atlantic Ocean is about an hour’s cruise downriver.

Chelsea Guest House Built in 2004

By the late 1900’s publisher Nelson Doubleday had acquired an interest in the plantation and was the driving inspiration of the stately Chelsea Guest House. It was designed by New York architect Eric J. Smith who was long associated with the classically minded designer David Easton. Built in 2004 the guest house is located behind and to the side of the main house and blends in perfectly with the setting. It has three bedrooms, adding to the six in the main house, a large living room with vaulted ceiling and large windows. Nearby sits a six car garage, the gardener’s house and a second guest house with three more bedrooms.

Chelsea has four duck ponds. There are two dove fields planted in sunflowers, corn and other grains.

Wagon Shed North Tract

Boat Landing North Tract

Chelsea Timber Value Is Approximately $3.9 Million

Chelsea is located between Charleston and Savannah, the two most popular tourists destinations in the United States. Hilton Head Island and Beaufort are also nearby, so there is plenty in the area to see and do.