Bette Davis' old home on Maine coast is set to be state's most expensive ever after listing for enormous sum

Daily Mail​

23-07-2025

A stunning estate on Maine 's coast is set to be one of the most expensive properties ever sold in the state.
The five–bedroom, six–bathroom coastal property looks like it jumped straight out of a movie set – but its ties to the big screen actually come from the estate's previous owner.
Indeed, the $15 million property, which sits on Cape Elizabeth, once belonged to world famous actress Bette Davis.
Davis was a renowned American actress during the 1930s and 40s who passed away in 1989. She was respected for her willingness to portray unsympathetic and sardonic characters, pushing boundaries and challenging the traditional female roles of her era.
Best known for classic movies like All About Eve and Dark Victory, Davis received 11 Oscar nominations for Best Actress and won two awards for her performances in the films Dangerous and Jezebel.
The late actress's former home, if sold for its asking price, will be the second most pricey residential property ever to be sold in Maine.
Only seven homes in Maine have ever been publicly listed and sold for more than $10 million, and all of them were in the Mount Desert Island region – which is almost 200 miles away from Cumberland County, where Cape Elizabeth is located.
The 7,600 square feet boasts quintessential East Coast property features, such as balconies, porches and ocean views from every room.
Davis's former oceanfront estate, often known as 'Seascape' or 'Witch Way', sprawls across eight acres – with 1,200 feet of granite coastline and a secluded rocky beach.
If sold for its asking price, the actress's former five–bedroom, six–bathroom home - which she purchased with her then-husband Gary Merrill (pictured with Davis) - will be the second most pricey residential property ever to be sold in Maine
The main house on the historic estate, which was built in 2002, has elegant hardwood floors, custom millwork and multiple fireplaces.
There is also a guest house with two bedrooms, two baths and a balcony.
Upon entering the home through the classic Cape Cod–style entrance, there is a spacious entryway with a wooden spiral staircase.
Further into the house is a magnificent kitchen, fitted with cream cabinetry, marble countertops, six panel windows and a glass door which natural light seeps through, providing the cooking area with lightness.
The kitchen island doubles as a breakfast bar, and there is plenty of room for a dining table in the open–plan kitchen area.
Next is the living room, fitted with cozy grey carpets, a stone fireplace and more windows – this time, floor–to–ceiling.
There is a large dining room with gorgeous French windows, fit to host big gatherings and dinner parties, followed by another living area.
The house also features an elegant office area, decked out in wood paneling and matching cupboards. The office also flaunts another of the home's many fireplaces.
Each of the bedrooms are spacious and bright, with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and perfect finishes.
A classic East Coast patio with white pillars and wood floors offers a cozy outdoor seating area surrounded by manicured lawns and luscious greenery.
Davis purchased the estate with her husband Gary Merrill in the 1950s.
According to Sotheby's International Realty - who are selling the property - Merrill formed a hockey team that played on the property pond. His team was called Merrill's Marauders.
'Gary also lobstered off the back yard. He said the best times in his life had been spent with Bette and their children at Witch Way,' Sotheby's added.
Davis and Merrill's son, Boston lawyer Michael Merrill, described the house to Portland Monthly magazine in 2014, saying there were 'two coves, a large front lawn, a barn, an enclosed area for goats and other farm animals and horses, vegetable gardens, berry bushes and a pond.'
After the couple divorced in 1960s, the property was passed through multiple owners and was last sold in 2016 for $3.75million. The carriage house transferred in a separate off-market deal for $1.45 million.