Remuera: A medieval manor

A lifestyle retreat in the middle of Auckland comes with a 15th century-style castle.

48c Benson Road, Remuera.

Graeme and Kay Edmond spent 12 years living in England before returning home to search for a private lifestyle property in the city.

It was a tough brief, but they found a place on 1925sq m in the middle of Remuera, with a pool, tennis court, spa and sauna, and no one looking in on them. The fact that the house was built in the style of a 15th century English manor bothered them not a bit. In fact, it just reminded them of their happy years in Britain, where both their children were born.

Fourteen years later the Edmonds are sadly putting their mock castle on the market, much to their children's chagrin.

"I asked Laura (now aged 20) to keep her room tidy during the sale process, and she said no, because she doesn't want to leave," smiles Kay.

"My friends say it will be the end of an era," says Laura. "They won't be able to come over to swim and play tennis and have parties."

They have had some fine parties here, usually in the downstairs bar that's fitted out like an old English pub. There's even a wine cellar cut into the rock under the house. With the fire roaring and the rugby playing, gatherings have spilled out the French doors to the terrace.

This somewhat eccentric home was built in the 1970s by expatriate Englishman Jim Banner, who is also known for turning the food shop at Mangatawhiri into a miniature castle. A builder by trade, Banner collected a posse of master craftsmen in leadlighting, copperwork, shingling, bricklaying and wood carving to create his dream home. They used 150,000 bricks, and installed 47 leadlight windows depicting English legends (in the bar room), fruit and flowers (in the kitchen) and, of course, a castle (in the upstairs hallway). Carpet in lush tones of red, yellow and brown to pick up the colour of the bricks was loomed especially for the house, and still looks rich more 20 years after it was laid.

"I thought about replacing it but a neutral colour just wouldn't do the house justice," says Kay.

It does set off the remarkable staircase, sweeping up two levels from the entranceway and crowned by a cartwheel light in medieval style. The turret rises up beside it, with its three circular rooms. At the bottom is an office, on the second level the dining room (with a parquet floor in the shape of a zodiac), and at the top is the master bedroom with three dainty Juliet balconies from which to look down on the property. Through the dressing room is another set of French doors leading to an internal balcony - the remains of what used to be an accessway to a lookout at the top of the tower before a previous owner removed it to extend the master en suite.

The first floor hosts a sunny lounge. Although anchored by a heavy baronial fireplace in granite and ornately carved wood, the room is lightened by a wall of leadlight doors that lead on to the northwest facing terrace.

Back past the staircase and through the dining room is the kitchen. Windows positioned to catch the sun all day are decorated with stained glass fruit, and look down on the wedge-shaped swimming pool. The stove is hooded in bright, patterned copper and nestled in a large recess.

Through another doorway is a comfortable semi-circular TV room, which in turn leads out to a cobbled courtyard. Here is a large fountain boasting copper lilies. Graeme has it on a timer to help water the fishpond beneath.

Two bedrooms are in the rear wing, separated by a pink marble bathroom featuring a sunken, kidney-shaped bath.

Down some back stairs is the laundry and storage that seems to go on forever under the house. Doors lead out to the pool area, where a barbecue is plugged into the gas main and fridge into a power socket in its own cupboard. The peaked roof above the spa is in the style of a Kentish oast-house, where hops were dried. Next to the sauna are his and hers changing rooms, toilets and showers.

Across the tennis court is the guest house (temporarily occupied by Graeme and Kay's 22-year-old son, Sam). It is fully self-contained with its own kitchen, bathroom, laundry cupboard and lounge, and even has doors that open out to a little deck and garden at the back.

Graeme and Kay will be sad to see it all go, but they're looking forward to downsizing in Auckland and spending more time at their Mangawhai beach house.

"It's too big for us now. We're entering another phase of our lives, and this house is ready for another family."

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 1925sq m, house 603sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above $3 million. Tender closes April 26.

INSPECT: By appointment.

CONTACT: Leila MacDonald, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 524 0149 bus, 021 928 926 mob.

FEATURES: Gas central heating, swimming pool, spa, sauna, tennis court, self-contained guest house.