Yahoo Finance Property: 9 enchanting castles straight out of a Disney movie
From Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to Tangled and Frozen, many of Disney’s animated films have been inspired by fairy tales and set in magical castles.
To celebrate Disney’s centenary this month, how about snapping up a real-life castle – or part of one – yourself? These desirable dwellings are all on the market now, and bound to cast their spell on you.
1. Stanhope, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, £210,000
A first floor apartment in Grade II-listed country castle, built at the end of the 18th century on the site of a 13th century structure that’s believed to have been demolished in the 1600s.
Incorporates three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dual aspect sitting/dining room and a separate kitchen, plus features such as decorative plasterwork and tall, shuttered windows. Get in touch with Finest Properties.
2. Kemeys Inferior, Monmouthshire, £1.85m
It looks like a fortress but this imposing hilltop residence is in fact a listed folly, constructed in the early 1700s as a hunting lodge for the Sheriff of Monmouth. In recent years it’s been fully restored and a new glass extension added – a project that appeared on Channel 4’s Grand Designs.
All the rooms are very contemporary, among them a 43-ft kitchen/living/dining room, a huge principal bedroom suite, five more bedrooms and a cinema room. It also has an indoor swimming pool, equestrian facilities and 24 acres of land. It's available through Fine & Country.
3. Posidonia, Syros, Greece, €3.5m (approx. £3.021m)
Located on a sun-soaked Cyclades island quieter than Mykonos and Paros, this five-bedroom, 6,800 square foot chateau is a short walk from the beach. Inside the ambience is relaxed rather than stuffy, and many of the high-ceilinged, generously proportioned rooms enjoy amazing views of the Aegean sea, sunsets and surrounding scenery.
The buyer is eligible for the Greek golden visa programme, so will have the right to live in Greece and travel across the Schengen area – encompassing most EU countries - without needing a further visa. Available from Greece Sotheby’s International Realty.
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4. Châteauroux, France, €3.75m (approx. £3.237m)
With its pointy turrets atop circular towers, there’s something very Disney-esque about this 15th century walled chateau. In a small village about two hours from Paris, it’s been beautifully restored and includes nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms, 22 other main rooms and a host of features like stone fireplaces, timber beams and panelling. Find out more from Groupe Immobilier Mercure.
5. Stowe, Buckingham, £3.95m
The 60-foot high castellated walls make Grade II-listed Stowe Castle seem austere and uninviting, but inside leading interior designer Katharine Pooley has created a warm and welcoming family home.
The ground floor consists of a reception hall, drawing room, dining room, family room and kitchen/breakfast room, and all five bedrooms are on the first floor. There’s also a two-storey refurbished barn, staff accommodation, a mature garden and a helipad. Contact Knight Frank.
6. Bernardsville Boro, New Jersey, USA, $13.75m (approx. £11.192m)
Stronghold, inspired by the architecture of European castles, was built in 1886 for members of the fabulously wealthy Astor family. Classic elements such as Corinthian columns and wrought iron balconies enhance the rough-faced stone exterior walls, and interior details including ornate woodwork and panelling and Tiffany glass and light fittings have been painstakingly restored.
At the property’s heart is a square tower housing an office and a lounge with a speakeasy-style sunken bar, and there are seven bedrooms. For sale through Turpin Realtors.
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7. Antibes, France, €25m (approx £21.6m)
Look away now if maximalism’s not your forte, as this 19th century castle is about as opulent as it gets. Comprising a main chateau, two guest houses and an apartment, it has 14 bedrooms in total, numerous reception rooms, a cinema, a spa with sauna and hammam and a heated swimming pool.
Virtually every room is lavishly decorated – expect murals, trompe l’oiel, stained glass, friezes, mosaics and richly-patterned wallpapers. Via Home Hunts and Your Overseas Home.
8. Salzburg, Austria, €26m (approx £22.46m)
The Red Tower dates back to the 12th century and boasts panoramic views of the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the city’s old town and mountains.
Its main complex is composed of several different buildings – a tower, a cube, a half-timbered section, a wing and a modern annex, all connected via a central hall. Includes original fireplaces, windows, wood carvings, wall paintings, a former drawbridge and a recent addition – a glass lift. Contact Engel & Völkers.
9. Dunbeath, Caithness, offers over £25m
Grand baronial-style Dunbeath Castle is the most expensive private property currently listed in Scotland and one of the most scenically located. Its roots go back to the 15th century but it was extensively remodelled in the 1860s, with 17,000 square feet of accommodation arranged over four floors. Your money also buys you a 28,500 acre estate containing farmland, a river where you can fish for sea trout and salmon, four miles of rugged Caithness coastline, a grouse moor and 21 cottages and houses. Get in touch with Savills.
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