Although it may look historic, the nearly 7,000-square-foot castle, located fittingly at 193 Castle Lane in Mena, AR, is actually just shy of 25 years old.
Priced at $1.1 million, this chateau was built by its current owner in 1997 as a “dream retirement home.”
The palace comprises three main floors, which include six bedrooms, 6.5 baths, a sauna, six fireplaces, and a wine cellar. The latter doubles as a storm shelter.
This impressive fortress of a home sits on 41 acres and comes with 2,500 square feet of deck space from which to enjoy the mountain views.
So, how did a castle end up in the middle of the Ouachita National Forest? Homeowner and Mena native Buck Titsworth has a few answers.
‘Unique, outstanding property’
“I wanted to create a unique, outstanding property that capitalized on the 360-degree view, while capturing some of the medieval and Gothic architectural aspects of my favorite travel memories,” Titsworth explains.
Inspired by travel
Among his favorite memories were trips to see castles in Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Britain.
These travels might explain his castle’s 50-foot observation tower and gated entrance.
“Its elevation makes it the highest property close to Mena with a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, including the Mena downtown area, the airport, Rich Mountain, and the Ouachita Mountains to the southeast,” says Titsworth.
But such an undertaking didn’t come easy or cheap.
“The location atop this prominent point overlooking Mena required extensive effort and cost for access,” Titsworth says. “Notching the road into the north face of this small mountain required dynamite blasting and using a seismic drilling rig for placing the charges. Construction of the property required approximately 1,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 200 tons of native rock for exterior and interior finishing.”
Source: realtor.com