From architecturally designed wonders to ancient European castles, historic homes deliver style and stories in bucket loads. As memorable as their former residents or designers, these discerning dwellings have played host to monks, Queens and A-listers, making them both beautiful and worthy of their eye-watering price tags. Click or scroll to discover their amazing stories…
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Landmark former bank building: $700,000 (£550k)
If you’ve ever wanted to live in a converted building, then this listing offers the perfect opportunity. With almost 6,000 square feet of living space, this historic bank in Downtown Bennington, Virginia, appears plucked from a heist movie. Complete with everything you might expect to find in a working bank, this converted home is almost too cool to be true.
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Landmark former bank building: $700,000 (£550k)
For sale with Estately for $700,000 (£550k), the historic property was constructed in 1931 and has since been given a sensitive but unusual renovation. The home’s current owner certainly has an eye for the obscure and has kitted the interior out with unusual trinkets, decorations and furnishings that could well have been collected from around the globe. Yet look beyond the décor and you’ll spot the building’s notable architectural details…
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Landmark former bank building: $700,000 (£550k)
Currently set up as a modern live/work space, the home’s landmark features have been meticulously preserved. Outside, you’ll find neo-classical Vermont marble and copper details, while inside there’s ornate mouldings, polished brass chandeliers, ceiling medallions and marble floors. As well as extensive windows and seemingly endless ceilings, the property also retains the bank’s original imported marble teller counters, complete with tear gas nozzles.
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Landmark former bank building: $700,000 (£550k)
Yet the home’s three working bank vaults have to be its most alluring feature. The current owner has decorated the vault with artwork, creating a unique space to display their favourite pieces. Elsewhere, there’s three bedrooms, five bathrooms, a mezzanine levels that has been turned into a games room, and a family kitchen. If you’re seeking a standout home that’s totally one-of-a-kind, then you won’t find anything quite like this!
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Wuthering Heights house: $1.3 million (£1m)
As well as being a classic English ‘chocolate box’ house, Ponden Hall is also steeped in history. The estate on which the house sits dates back as far as 1541, while the property itself was completed in 1634. With a fascinating connection to the literary works of the Brontës, this enchanting abode is thought to have inspired both Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
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Wuthering Heights house: $1.3 million (£1m)
Yet it’s the garden that truly captivates. There’s a walled courtyard, a seating area with flowered borders, formal south-facing walled gardens, a reservoir, paddocks and endless rolling hills, which Emily Brontë likely used to inspire the moors of Wuthering Heights. Despite its substantial size and unique literary connections, Ponden Hall is on the market for a surprisingly low sum. For sale with Strutt & Parker for just $1.3 million (£1m), this historic home could well be within reach!
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Wuthering Heights house: $1.3 million (£1m)
The magnificent Grade II-listed country house can be found in the quaint English village of Haworth, West Yorkshire, where the Brontë family lived for many years. Once you’ve explored the home’s rolling four-acre grounds and taken a peak inside, it becomes clear why the property encouraged so much literary inspiration. With a rustic interior and endless landscape scenery from every window, this is a place to stir the imagination.
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Wuthering Heights house: $1.3 million (£1m)
The period property offers eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, as well as a separate two-bedroom annexe. Throughout, the home features rustic timber beams, vaulted ceilings, original flagstone flooring and exposed stonework, as well as pretty cottage windows and authentic fireplaces. The master suite boasts a 26-foot ceiling, while the farmhouse-style kitchen benefits from a butler sink, a larder and a classic Aga.
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JFK’s legacy home: $4.5 million (£3.5m)
Lovers of American politics will be keen to take a look around this elegant townhouse in Washington DC, USA. The former home of one of the country’s most celebrated presidents, John F Kennedy, the residence is every bit as charming, refined and handsome as the man himself!
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JFK’s legacy home: $4.5 million (£3.5m)
Originally constructed in around 1800, the Federal property has been beautifully restored and now blends master craftsmanship with all the modern conveniences needed for 21st century living. Light, bright and spacious, the pad was home to JFK and his sister Eunice for two years, before he embarked on his presidential campaign.
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JFK’s legacy home: $4.5 million (£3.5m)
The kitchen is home to stainless steel appliances, recessed lighting, granite countertops and a cosy breakfast nook, while the wood-panelled study appears untouched since JFK’s day. Kitted out with built-in bookshelves, a roaring fireplace and plenty of windows, it’s the perfect place to focus.
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JFK’s legacy home: $4.5 million (£3.5m)
Benefiting from 4,659 square feet of inside space, the light-filled three-bedroom, four-bathroom home boasts a classic red brick façade with quaint shuttered windows. Inside, you’ll find plenty of original details that have been lovingly brought back to life. From ornate French wall panelling to a curved grand staircase, elegant hardwood floors, built-in cabinetry and fireplaces, this property is class all the way!
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LA Confidential mansion: $7 million (£5.5m)
Movie aficionados will instantly recognise this now legendary home from the silver screen. Casa Cubana was designed by silent-film-actor-turned-architect Jack Donovan in 1923, and featured in Architectural Digest the very same year. Then, in 1997, the property received further fame when it featured as the abode of Lynn Bracken in LA Confidential, played by Kim Basinger. It’s on the market with Compass for $7 million (£5.5m).
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LA Confidential mansion: $7 million (£5.5m)
Nestled on a sublime corner plot in Hollywood, the residence has recently been entirely re-imagined, resulting in a beautiful and romantic interior that blends historic touches with contemporary appeal. The home boasts over 5,000 square feet of inside space, and there are plenty of eye-catching details among it. For one, the two-story living room offers a towering ceiling, a full-height fireplace, a dramatic chandelier and an exquisite iron staircase leading to a mezzanine balcony.
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LA Confidential mansion: $7 million (£5.5m)
The house features four bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as a 17,000-square-foot garden, which can be enjoyed from almost every room. The master suite epitomises the Californian aesthetic, thanks to its easy indoor-outdoor layout, chic design, gorgeous sitting areas and dual walk-in closets. Elsewhere, there’s also a formal dining room, a marble-clad kitchen and a cosy family room.
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LA Confidential mansion: $7 million (£5.5m)
Outside, you’ll find a Spanish tiled patio and sweeping lawns, as well as numerous firepits, a bocce court, a putting green and a romantic outdoor dining area nestled beneath century-old knotted trees. The swimming pool and spa are surrounded by a resort-style sunbathing deck and there’s even a two-story guest house for accommodating all of your friends.
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The IM Pei Residence: $8 million ($6.3m)
This attractive townhouse in the heart of Manhattan, New York City, belonged to the celebrated architect IM Pei and his wife, Eileen, before his sad passing in May 2019. The world-renowned architect purchased the property more than 45 years ago, and according to Christie’s International Real Estate, the house showcases the ‘exceptional provenance and the sophisticated modernist aesthetic Pei was famous for’.
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The IM Pei Residence: $8 million ($6.3m)
Pei was renowned for designing some of the world’s most memorable landmarks, including The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong. In 1983, he won the Pritzker Prize, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an architect. Of the home, Pei’s daughter said: “My father did not design private homes for clients… this is really the expression of my father’s sense of what family is.”
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The IM Pei Residence: $8 million ($6.3m)
Beautiful, stripped back and elegant, the house was built in 1899 and was lovingly renovated by Pei. A grand marble foyer features a spiral staircase and large geometric skylights, reminiscent of Pei’s iconic creation at The Louvre. The house has four levels and boasts five bedrooms, three bathrooms, two powder rooms, and a basement. An elevator services every floor, while the living room boasts 10-foot ceilings, Tasmanian oak floors and a fireplace framed by soapstone.
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The IM Pei Residence: $8 million ($6.3m)
The home benefits from dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows that offer incredible views. From Sutton Square Gardens, to the East River and Queensboro Bridge, the house is every New York lovers’ dream. Additional features include a lavish temperature-controlled wine cellar, staff quarters, a library and a marble-floored formal dining room with direct access to a private garden. If you’re head over heels, you’ll need $8 million ($6.3m) in the bank, in order to bag this abode!
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Mary Queen of Scots’ preferred residence: $10.2 million (£8m)
Seton Castle can be found in East Lothian, Scotland, and was built by the acclaimed architect, Robert Adam. It took the place of Seton Palace, which formerly belonged to the Earls of Winton and was Mary Queen of Scots’ preference retreat. The palace was demolished in 1789 and Adam used the building’s stone to create a brand new masterpiece in its place. With 13 acres of gardens and parkland, and a 18,196-square-foot interior, this is a royal residence of epic proportions.
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Mary Queen of Scots’ preferred residence: $10.2 million (£8m)
Currently for sale with Savills for offers in excess of $10.2 million (£8m), Seton Castle was Robert Adam’s final design project in Scotland and showcases his masterful touch throughout. From its exquisite plasterwork, to its curved oak panelled doors and striking bay windows, every inch of this residence has been carefully restored over a two-year period by expert stonemasons and artisans. Now, the home is light, bright and inviting with spacious rooms that blend the old with the new.
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Mary Queen of Scots’ preferred residence: $10.2 million (£8m)
Throughout, the home’s beautiful Georgian interior shines. Eye-catching details include 17th-century French oak flooring, secret staircases, curved walls, a silk-lined dining room and hidden doors, all of which add to the home’s charms. Yet there’s plenty of modern amenities here too, including a high tech security systems, a state-of-the-art gym, a cinema, and even a helipad.
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Mary Queen of Scots’ preferred residence: $10.2 million (£8m)
Yet Seton Castle’s 10,000-bottle wine cellar is perhaps its most enticing feature. Brought spectacularly back to life, this underground cave is the only place we would want to enjoy our favourite bottle! Elsewhere, there’s also a billiards room and a traditional ‘olde world’ pub. Outside, you’ll find endless gardens and avenues to stroll down, as well as guest cottages, stables and an idyllic parterre courtyard. With Seton Castle, we’re well and truly transported back in time!
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John Barrymore’s historic mansion: $16 million (£12.3m)
Fans of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles may recognise this beautiful abode from the finale of season 12. The historic mansion not only boasts a truly unforgettable interior, but it once belonged to acting legend, John Barrymore. Listed with Douglas Elliman for $16 million (£12.3m), it can be found in the heart of Beverley Hills and enjoys enviable city and ocean vistas.
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John Barrymore’s historic mansion: $16 million (£12.3m)
The Spanish Revival mansion was built by the esteemed architect, John Byers, in 1926 and boasts a classic red-tiled roof and romantic gardens with mature landscaping, winding pathways and magical fountains. Inside the house seamlessly blends history with modernity. Panelled walls, original tile work, stained-glass windows, redwood log floors, authentic fireplaces and an unbelievable ceiling fresco in the lounge are just a few of the home’s characterful features.
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John Barrymore’s historic mansion: $16 million (£12.3m)
The compound offers seven bedrooms and eleven bathrooms, across the main house and four guest lodgings. There’s also a wine cellar and a spectacular wood-panelled cigar lounge. Yet the home’s most unusual feature has to be Barrymore’s ‘opium den’, which can be found hidden at the top of a hand-carved staircase.
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John Barrymore’s historic mansion: $16 million (£12.3m)
The home benefits from almost 7,000 square feet of living space, as well as a substantial garden with Koi ponds and a sparkling swimming pool. Outside, you’ll also find plenty of romantic wraparound verandas, from which Barrymore no doubt enjoyed the scenery. Remarkably, the house went up for sale in 2015 for a staggering $42.5 million (£33.4m), so this is a real steal!
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Majestic neo-classical villa: $19.8 million (£15.6m)
Another home with walls we wish could talk, is Via della Crocina Pistoia. Located on a scenic plot just 25 minutes away from Florence, the breathtaking neo-classical home dates back to 1895 and was designed in typical late-Renaissance Tuscan style. Standing proud at 48,437 square feet, it boasts a rich local history that makes it one of the most significant homes in all of Italy.
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Majestic neo-classical villa: $19.8 million (£15.6m)
It is said that the most famous artists and decorators active in Tuscany at the time helped with the creation of this majestic mansion. From Pietro Baldoncoli to Mariano Coppedè, and Francesco Morini to Giuseppe Michelucci, no expense was spared in the construction of this luxurious villa. Evidence of the home’s masterful craftsmanship can be seen everywhere, from the dramatic vaulted ceiling of the foyer, to the stunning frescoes that decorate many of the rooms.
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Majestic neo-classical villa: $19.8 million (£15.6m)
Totalling 35 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, this mammoth residence was designed for entertaining. Every space is elegantly furnished and filled with natural light, thanks to oversized windows and soaring ceilings. There’s a spectacular formal lounge, a dining room and a timber panelled billiard room with gables carved by the same artists who completed the home’s custom-made furniture. One of the living rooms is also home to gilded wallpaper!
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Majestic neo-classical villa: $19.8 million (£15.6m)
Thanks to the home’s elevated position, every room also offers splendid views across the home’s 40 hectares, where terraces and landscaped gardens can be found. There’s also a large meadow, a cave, Italian staircases and fountains, olive groves and woodlands, tennis courts and swimming pools. If you’ve fallen in love, then you’ll need a staggering $19.8 million (£15.6m) in order to buy it!
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The Abbey Leix Estate: $23.4 million (£18.6m)
If you have a slightly larger budget to play with, then perhaps The Abbey Leix Estate will peak your interest. Listed with Sotheby’s International Realty for $23.4 million (£18.6m), this distinguished 18th-century mansion can be found in historic County Laois, Ireland. With too much history to really get your head around, this enchanting estate is a fascinating find…
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The Abbey Leix Estate: $23.4 million (£18.6m)
Positioned on over 1,000 acres of land, Abbey Leix is considered one of the most esteemed 18th-century houses in all of Ireland. It was designed in 1773 by the noted architect James Wyatt, the man responsible for designing the once-iconic Pantheon building in London. Towering up three levels, it has been home to French monks, O’More Princes, Ormonde Earls, de Vesci Viscounts and even a Welsh Knight!
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The Abbey Leix Estate: $23.4 million (£18.6m)
Decorated in Italianate style, the property boasts plenty of eye-catching interior details, including decorative plasterwork, magnificent chandeliers, marble flooring and elegant columns. There’s a music room, a state dining room, a classical library and a conservatory, as well as a family room, kitchen, wine cellar and butler’s pantry. Following a sympathetic restoration, the historic home is well suited for 21st-century living without taking away from its rich heritage.
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The Abbey Leix Estate: $23.4 million (£18.6m)
As well as nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms in the main house, the estate also offers 10 lodges and cottages, dotted across its extensive acreage. The garden includes some of Ireland’s most notable remaining ancient woodlands, as well as extensive frontage to the River Nore. All of the rooms also enjoy captivating views of the landscaped grounds, built during the de Vesci family ownership between 1675 and 1995.
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LA mansion Prince painted purple: $30 million (£23m)
Could walls talk, this LA mansion would have plenty to say! As well as once being home to the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Ted Fields, this palatial pad was made famous in 2005, when NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer rented it out to Prince for $95,000 (£74.6k) a month. When Boozer returned some time later, he discovered the singer had draped the interior in vibrant purple carpets, painted the walls in a rainbow of shades, turned a bedroom into a hair salon and the gym into a dance floor!
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LA mansion Prince painted purple: $30 million (£23m)
For obvious reasons, the story hit the headlines hard and Boozer later admitted he was close to suing Prince over the episode. Proof of Prince’s interior design transformation is well documented in the album artwork for 3121, Prince’s 31st album, which he released in 2006. All the drama aside, this impressive abode is also a masterpiece of Californian design. The 18,000-square-foot estate boasts incredible views of the entire city, as well as a stunning interior.
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LA mansion Prince painted purple: $30 million (£23m)
Built in 1953, it blends Old Hollywood with contemporary glamour. Designed for entertaining, the house boasts 10 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a ballroom, a wine room, a gym with indoor sports court, a four-car garage, and a standalone three-bedroom English Tudor-inspired property. Spanning 3,300 square feet, the guest house comes with 20-foot ceilings, a gourmet kitchen, a bar, a billiard rooms, and a den.
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LA mansion Prince painted purple: $30 million (£23m)
Outside, you’ll also be treated to a plethora of amenities, including tennis courts and a pool with a swim-up bar and a grotto straight out of the Playboy Mansion. If you’re feeling flush, the home is listed with Selling Sunset agents, The Oppenheim Group, for $30 million (£23m). But if you don’t quite have the budget to purchase the pad, you could consider leasing it. Available to rent for a cool $80,000 (£62.8k) a month, this history-rich residence is worth every penny.
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