Riven Rock, Montecito

Riven Rock is a residential subdivision[1] and former country estate in the unincorporated area of Montecito, California (near Santa Barbara, California).[2]

The estate was formerly owned by the McCormick family, who purchased it in 1896 and built a large two-story Mission Revival home on the premises.[1] The name came from an oak tree which had grown out of and split a large boulder.[1] The estate was the site of the confinement of Stanley McCormick, the youngest child of Cyrus Hall McCormick and Nancy Fowler McCormick, who suffered from schizophrenia for much of his life.[1] His story was the basis of T.C. Boyle's 1998 novel Riven Rock.[2][3]

The main house was demolished after the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake.[1] The estate was eventually subdivided, with its outbuildings sold off as separate residences.[1]

In August 2020, it was reported that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex of the British royal family had purchased the mansion 'Chateau of Riven Rock' at Riven Rock following their decision to 'step back' as senior members of the royal family.[2] The Duke and Duchess bought it for $14.6 million from the Russian oligarch Sergey Grishin in June 2020.[2][4]

References

1. Redmon, Michael (21 December 2016). "Montecito's Riven Rock: Fabled Estate Housed Stanley McCormick". Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
2. "Harry and Meghan buy home on Santa Barbara estate that was subject of 1998 novel Riven Rock". Daily Telegraph. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
3. Dennis Rodkin (2 April 1998). "The Exceedingly Strange Case of the McCormick Sex Machine". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
4. Harry and Meghan accused of failing to do house check, The Times, 15 August 2020.