French-inspired Dural castle Normandie sells after owners failed to keep mortgagees at bay
Normandie, a French-inspired castle estate at Dural, has been sold.
Offers of $3 million plus were most recently being sought by Sandy Ward at Ray White Dural, who posted its sale announcement on realestate.com.au yesterday. No sale price was given.
It was a mortgagee-in-possession sale, having been initially listed in September 2009 by its owners with $6.25 million-plus hopes.
The imposing sandstone residence was built in 1985 by Bronte Douglass – a founder of Douglass Pathology – and his wife, Darlene. The manor house was built after the couple bought the almost-bare block in the early 1980s for $130,000. They had studied books on French chateaux before finalising their concept for the house with the assistance of designer Darryl Lock, who drew the plans. Lock also created many of the interior finishes, such as the four chandeliers suspended from the 10-metre-high cathedral ceiling in the great hall at the centre of the residence.
The house has a slate roof imported from the Pyrenees, external walls made from Sydney sandstone and interior walls of rendered brick. Designed to maximise its north and easterly aspects, it has forest and rural vistas from every room.
At entry level is its great hall with a minstrel's gallery, a huge formal sitting room, banquet-sized dining room, large study panelled with American oak, family room, open-plan kitchen and breakfast area.
It comes with four bedroom suites.
Its 2.2-hectare grounds have sweeping lawns, ornamental trees, a tennis court and swimming pool.
A recent search of the property’s title revealed mortgages to St George Bank and the National Australia Bank.
Considered the most exclusive street in Dural, Jane Place has eight properties of 2.2 hectares each.
The most recent sale was sold by car dealer Phil Gilbert for $3.75 million.
