Merksworth Castle, 253 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied
253 HURSTMERE RD TAKAPUNA
SIZE:
Land 793sq m, house
approximately 350sq m.
PRICE INDICATION:
Properties of a
similar calibre sell for upwards of $3.5
million. Expressions of interest close
February 15.
INSPECT:
Sat/Sun 10am-11am.
SCHOOL ZONES:
Takapuna Primary,
Takapuna Normal Intermediate,
Takapuna Grammar, Westlake Boys'
and Westlake Girls' high schools.
CONTACT:
Eden Thomson, ph 021 790
552, and Bernadette Morrison, ph 021
345 520, Bayleys.
FEATURES:
Landmark Merksworth
Castle has direct access to Thorne Bay
and superb vistas of the water and
Rangitoto. Completely restored exterior
with new interior design, including three
living areas, office and media room.
Since the mid-1920s, generations of children and adults alike have gazed with admiration at Merksworth Castle. This distinctive home, poised on the cliff-top at Thorne Bay, between Milford and Takapuna, is still as deserving of attention as it's ever been.
Crafted by master stonemason Frank Savidan from basalt quarried from
nearby Lake Pupuke, it was designed by architect William Henry Jaine for Scotsman, Captain John Alexander Algie, and his wife Penelope. A neighbour of the captain and Mrs Algie, a Mr W. Leaning, added to the fairy tale by building a huge stone throne at the base of his adjoining property.
With magnificent pohutukawa-framed views of the gulf and out to Rangitoto, the castle would have seemed particularly grand in the less-developed Takapuna of the pre-harbour bridge days. The castle passed down from the captain to his grandson Donald and wife Cecil and their descendants, before leaving Algie family ownership in 2005.
Today, the castle is still grand and much-admired. Its parapets and stained-glass family crests imbue this home with character and a special provenance that just can't be replicated in a new build. However, a recent renovation has given this much-loved Takapuna landmark an injection of contemporary comfort.
David Gaze and his wife Anne bought Merksworth with a desire to make it a family home for themselves and their four sons. David's company, Gaze Commercial, usually specialises in commercial fitouts, but has completed some residential projects, including the extensive work undertaken to "bring [Merksworth] into the 21st century", says David.
The exterior of the castle has heritage protection, so its appearance could not be altered. Gaze Commercial enhanced it by sandblasting the natural stone and applying a European-made waterproof sealant for protection against the elements. Other work included re-roofing and refurbishing the protected steel windows.
Inside, though, the castle is transformed thanks to the Gaze team, including interior designer Jane Pilkington. Previously segmented spaces have been opened into one large living, dining and kitchen space, flooded with natural light. While the interior design is contemporary and crisp - with white walls, glass balusters and a glass walkway - homage is paid to the building's vintage with new features such as rustic-finish dark-stained American oak flooring.
David is particularly keen on the castle's high-tech gadgets, such as its built-in iPod docks and central technology hub, allowing all audio and visual equipment to be housed in one discreet centre, doing away with unsightly wires and visible home theatre paraphernalia.
The castle has two storeys, with entry via the uppermost floor, which is level with Hurstmere Rd. Flanking the entrance are a formal, carpeted living room to the right and the master suite to the left. The latter, with expansive new wardrobes, leads through to an en suite.
Next to the formal living room is an office, complete with the castle's original back door.
The spacious main living room has a new granite-hearth fireplace, alongside a charming circular turret dining space.
With a stellar view of Rangitoto through a large picture window, the kitchen manages to encapsulate the overall mood of the castle's restoration and renovation - classic and timeless, but with a contemporary edge. Appliances include a 1.2m Smeg double oven with gas hobs and a built-in grill, while the main kitchen's on-show marble benchtop is replicated in an adjoining butler's pantry.
A deck off the living area and kitchen has stunning, uninterrupted views. A grand sweep of stairs accessed through another door off the living area leads to a path down to the rock pools of Thorne Bay. Look carefully there and you can see the edges of a pool built by the captain for his wife to swim in.
In the castle's lower level, there are three further bedrooms, two bathrooms, extensive storage (with capacity for a wine cellar), a separate laundry and what David describes as a "man-cave" media room. There's also a further living area, complete with a built-in blackboard. Despite his keenness on technology, David says that with teenage sons, "if it's written there in black and white, there can be no arguments".
David says it's because of a busy life with four boys that he and Anne have decided to spread out in another home. He's justifiably proud of what Gaze Commercial has achieved at Merksworth. "We went a bit overboard if anything, but you're inclined to do that if you're doing it for yourself."
