Newport has The Elms, The Breakers, Astors Beechwood and more. Barrington has Belton Court.

But while the Gilded Age mansions in Newport are celebrated, Belton Court is threatened. Included on the National Register of Historic Places, Belton Court has been neglected for more than a decade and tagged for demolition by the owners of the former Zion Bible College property.

That does not sit well with Alex Dias, a historic preservationist in the East Bay whose grandfather worked as a staff member of Belton Court.

“Belton Court is irreplaceable. Structures like Belton Court are no longer built. Once they are gone, they are gone,” Dias said during a recent interview. “We are only stewards to these structures, and we should be preserving them, so that one day we can pass the torch to future generations for them to enjoy”

Currently, Belton Court is owned by ShineHarmony Holdings LLC, which submitted a comprehensive permit application with the town to tear down Belton Court and use the former college campus for a 344-unit housing development. The Barrington Planning Board is reviewing the application; the board meets next on July 28. 

Peck family legacy

Belton Court was commissioned by Frederick Stanhope Peck, who was a member of the Peck family, and integral to the history of Rhode Island. The Peck family first acquired about 500 acres of land in the 1653 Sowams Purchase; ancestral land later inherited by Frederick. Together with approximately 300 acres he purchased at auction, Frederick Peck owned about 800 acres of land in the northwestern part of Barrington, which both comprised, and surrounded Peck’s Belton Court estate. 

Frederick Peck, the Belton Court issuer, contributed heavily to the arts, education, and medicine, including to the Homeopathic Hospital of Rhode Island, of which he was president. It was also where he died.

Maria Bruce, a Barrington Preservation Society Museum volunteer, knows much of the history of the Peck family and Belton Court.

“The Peck family legacy includes generations of businessmen, philanthropists, government leaders, and civic minded individuals who in their own way, shaped and contributed to Barrington’s, Rhode Island’s, and our nation’s collective history and heritage,” Bruce said.

The first segment of Belton Court was built between the years 1905 and 1906 and the second segment built between 1927 and 1928. According to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination, the building functioned as both a home and a museum, complete with a gallery hosting world renowned paintings, other famous pieces, and a library of 8,000 rare books. There were also custom rooms such as the flower arranging room and the 5,000 square ft greenhouse that was dedicated to Mary Peck’s collection of orchids and other flowers. 

Features of history

According to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination, the house was made to showcase Frederick Peck’s litany of artwork and books, the main threat to the property was fire. Within the house there was a state of the art fire suppression system that had hoses throughout the building that connected to the water tower. There were also large portions of surrounding walls and ceilings that were made from reinforced iron, specifically around the library to save the treasures within. 

The library, in its prime, showcased one of the greatest collections within the United States, rumored to be the reason Calvin Cooledge could have possibly visited. Every piece of the library was custom made to fit the space from the doors to the hand carved limestone fireplace, complete with a book icon in the middle. The books in the library included the first portfolios of Shakespeare’s plays bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, famous book binders known for using real gold to bind books. Additionally, Peck owned multiple manuscripts from the signers of the Declaration of Independence including collections of letters from George Washington, and letters from Roger Williams. In 1944, when a fraction of his books were sold, it set a record high sum in America for the value of a book collection, at $100,000. 

Belton Court had multiple galleries throughout the building, hosting a painting from Frans Snyder, with four paintings showcased in the Louvre, a bronze statue of Joan of Arc, assorted tapestries, Persian rugs, and a portrait of Master Cathcart painted by Sir Henry Raeburn that now resides in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Peck also owned a life-sized painting by Gilbert Stuart.

Throughout the house, there was the Peck family crest, a hand holding three roses — it was depicted throughout the house in the form of woodwork and gold velvet threading. In the older section, there are three family crests worked into the fireplace and above them all was another hand holding three roses. In the reception hall, there are four large scale broken pediments with cartouches, each engraved into the wood with a unique coat of arms to honor Frederick Peck’s early ancestors Joseph Peck and Joshua Holland. 

“The Peck family crest can be found on multiple Peck family gravestones throughout Prince’s Hill Burial Ground,” said Bruce.

Belton Court features three different kinds of wood detailing: White oak, mahogany, and dark walnut. The white oak was used in both the main hall and the smoking room, carved with a chisel finish, meaning that there was no sanding involved, making it much more difficult and took much more time. The ballroom was built using solid mahogany and the library was specifically crafted with dark walnut to fit the room and the demands of Peck. 

Other key features of the building were the fireplaces. The reception hall, smoking room, and library each host a custom-made limestone fireplace. The dining room and morning room have fireplaces made of Italian marble. The 1905 dining room and lounge have fireplaces made of brick and wood. 

According to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination, the estate features approximately 350 windows. Some of the windows are made from Massachusetts granite, known for their segmental relieving arches, while others are leaded windows, or stained glass. Along with all of the windows, the house was lit by multiple chandeliers and sconces. Within the reception hall there would have been a six-foot tall bronze chandelier. Within the stairwell, there was a Gothic English bronze chandelier. The ballroom was lit by two chandeliers and a variety of wall sconces, made of cut crystal and bronze by Edward F. Caldwell & Co., who is known for their decor in the White House. 

Belton Court now

Today, Belton Court has spent more than a decade without proper care. Yet, many professionals believe that it is salvageable. 

The “Bros of Decay,” two Belgian YouTubers who focus their work on the history of forgotten buildings and make documentaries to save the historic places, believe that Belton Court is 100% salvageable and ready to be used again. They note that the house is in perfect condition from a structural standpoint and has no structural failures, evidenced by the New York Red Slated roof holding up exceptionally. They point out that the only decay is within the plaster or paint, which is purely cosmetic and easily replaceable. 

Alex Dias also believes Belton Court can be saved. Dias worked on the restoration to the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. 

“In many ways, Belton Court has a parallel history to the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse,” he said. “Both structures were added by the United States Department of the Interior to National Park Services’ National Register of Historic Places, and they are on that list for a reason.

“At a location far more exposed to the elements, and made of materials not nearly as durable as those used in Belton’s construction — despite the condition of the 1871 wooden lighthouse, restoration was still possible. It serves as a major tourist attraction for East Providence, bringing visitors from across the country and internationally. Barrington has the opportunity to do the same.”