New Zealand Couple Sells Handmade Medieval-Style Castle After 30 Years

A New Zealand couple who spent three decades constructing a medieval-style castle from recycled bricks has put the property up for sale. Denise and Greg Powell originally acquired the 13-hectare site on the Otago Peninsula in 1992 for NZ$122,500.

The project shifted from a standard house design to a castle layout after the owners secured large wooden doors from a demolished church. Construction involved hauling thousands of bricks by hand onto scaffolding, with battlements added in the early 2000s to complete the exterior look.

The interior incorporates other salvaged elements, including a heavy light fixture from the Hermitage Hotel at Mount Cook. A hallway cupboard also features a hidden trapdoor leading to a basement storage area.

The three-bedroom estate is valued around NZ$1.6 million to NZ$1.65 million. The couple plans to downsize and build a smaller home nearby in the same coastal community.