Roughwood
Also known as: Pine Manor College
Why it's listed
Roughwood is a large Shingle Style country house at 400 Heath Street in Brookline, built in 1891 and designed by the architectural firm Andrews, Jaques and Rantoul. It was built as the country estate of William and Josephine Cox, a wholesale boot and shoe dealer and his wife. The hip-roofed, symmetrical house has two large turreted bays flanking a central entrance, stone and banded shingle surfaces, and massive panel brick chimneys. The same firm designed most of the outbuildings, including a cowbarn, lodge, gate houses and carriage house. In 1904 the property was sold to banker Ernest Dane, who expanded the estate to 120 acres and added a music room wing in 1909. Pine Manor Junior College acquired the estate in 1961. Later additions were designed to conform to the original style, and open spaces and the rural character of the grounds remain largely intact. The house is significant for its architecture and as an example of Brookline's late 19th century country estates.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it meets criterion C as a large Shingle Style country house designed by the well-known firm of Andrews, Jaques and Rantoul. It also represents Brookline's late 19th century country estate development. Surrounding outbuildings took their stylistic cues from the main house.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85003309, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 400 Heath St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003309 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Andrews, Jaques, and Rantoul; later additions by Brainard and Leeds (1909 attached houses) and Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson, and Abbott (carriage house addition) |
| Architectural style | Shingle |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as the administration building of Pine Manor College, with former estate outbuildings adapted for college use. |
| Acreage | 79 |
| Coordinates | 42.32021, -71.15900 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85003309.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7370918
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.