Thursday Real Estate Porn

This week's Real Estate Porn is Midford Castle in Somerset near Bath. It was built by a man named Henry Disney Roebuck in 1775 in the shape of the Ace of Clubs. Legend has it that he chose that shape because he won a fortune at the gaming tables with the Ace of Clubs. But the truth is that Mr. Roebuck was a wealthy romantic who chose the plan and design of the building chiefly for aesthetic reasons, based on a contemporary plan of John Cater, a gothic enthusiast.

It's a Grade I listed castle whatever that means. It comes with 59 acres of parkland, grassland and woodland. It also boasts an orangery, two cottages, and a ruined chapel. It was on sale for a cool 5 MM (around $10MM) pounds until one Nicolas Coppola Cage bought it recently for 4.5MM pounds. Yes, that Nicolas Cage, star of Ghost Rider and National Treasure, the man who named his son after Superman. Who used to be a good actor back in the days when he made Leaving Las Vegas.

Apparently, he has 14 homes worth at least $66MM including a 28 room fortress that he bought in Bavaria called Castle Neidstein in Germany. I have no idea why, although he's said that he would like move a castle brick by brick across the pond. Hopefully he'll change his mind about that. It would be like when they moved the old London Bridge over to Arizona.

It must be nice to own a historic castle, but I'm unlikely to ever know that unless I win Megamillions. Although I would adore staying in one.

EKM