Old historic homes may be bursting with charm and character, but they can have draughts, damp and structural problems. However, there's something a little different about these period properties. From extravagant Versaille-style palaces to English Medieval castles, each of these heritage houses is hiding a secret. Can you guess what? Click or scroll through to find out...

You wouldn't usually expect to find classic French architecture in the heart of New York's Long Island, but Maison des Jardins, a sprawling limestone château, is far from an ordinary piece of real estate. The spectacular property was inspired by the Palace of Versailles, however, unlike the iconic landmark, it was built in 2017.

Nestled in eight acres of grounds, the jaw-dropping new mansion perfectly recreates the grandeur of 17th-century French classicism, from the ornate façade to the intricate mouldings and panelling that adorn the interior living spaces. The foyer is even home to a gold-leaf staircase, said to resemble the one in Marie Antoinette's former residence.

Offering eight bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, the incredible American estate also features six 19th-century marble fireplaces, not to mention £2.1 million ($2.5m) of crystal chandeliers, including this dazzling design in the dining room. Maison des Jardins hit the market back in 2018 for a staggering £49.5 million ($60m)

With its towering turrets and mullioned windows, this magnificent castle may well look like it dates to medieval times. However, not only is the castle located far from England, being based in Ontario, Canada, it was actually constructed in 1976. Complete with a stone and stucco exterior, faux battlements, and a tower fit to hold a captive princess, this property is really a work of art, as well as a family home.

Inside, the attention to detail is no less meticulous across the home’s 2,620 square feet of living space, with stone floors, coffered ceilings, and dark wooden panelling throughout. Upon entering the home, guests are immediately greeted with this grandly proportioned entryway, off of which formal living and dining rooms offer spectacularly carved fireplaces and ornate, hand-painted murals.

With five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two home offices and a finished basement currently configured as a bar/lounge area, it’s no wonder that the home was last listed for CAD$5.8 million, which equates to £3.5 million ($4.3m). Other luxurious features include a master bedroom with a cathedral ceiling and an enormous stained-glass window, a large swimming pool, hot tub, and koi pond. In short, all the luxuries of modern living encased in the grandeur of medieval architecture!

A vast 329-acre estate in Monroe County, Georgia, The Great Hill Plantation was established in 1873, however, the grand home at its heart has rather more recent origins. Despite the regal Georgian architecture, the mansion, with its fluted columns and imposing pediment, was only completed in 2002.

Inside, there's no shortage of breathtaking classical features. The circular foyer features a dramatic upper gallery, a domed roof adorned with clerestory windows, and dual sweeping staircases – perfect for making a grand entrance. It's hard to believe that this old-world home is a product of the 21st century.

Elsewhere in the seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom mansion, there's also a two-storey dining room, a luxurious master suite complete with a Baroque-style hand-painted mural and this handsome panelled library. Talk about attention to detail! This magnificent Georgian replica was last listed with Sotheby's International Realty for £12.6 million ($15.3m)

This Venetian-style palace in Surrey in the UK was once a drab bungalow. However, thanks to the efforts of property developer Trevor Wynne-Jones, it's been transformed into a dreamy house that resembles an opulent Italian villa.

After spending 30 years renovating the mansion, Trevor listed it back in 2017 for a staggering £4.5 million ($5.5m) – a significant step up from the meagre £15,300 ($18.6k) he originally paid for it. Inside, the palatial property has six bathrooms, four reception rooms, and seven bedrooms.

The grounds contain multiple waterfalls and even a stunning recreation of the ruined Monmouthshire monastery of Tintern Abbey in Wales, dedicated to the memory of Trevor's late wife. What an incredible achievement! 

From the ornate, double-height columned entrance to the carved stonework, this exquisite property looks like it's been plucked straight from the rolling rural landscapes of the French countryside. Shrouded in trees and flanked by manicured grounds, surely it's a slice of Provence that's been nestled in this wooded spot for centuries?

Not quite. Rather than a Gothic monument from the distant past, this remarkable residence in Asheville, North Carolina, was in fact constructed in 1995, though you'd never know it. 20-foot-high ceilings, custom metalwork, stone archways and sweeping galleries make this three-storey property feel like a true heritage home.

In the library, warming cherry woodwork channels the Renaissance, while the regal finishes continue throughout the home's five bedrooms and six bathrooms. The 10,791-square-foot masterpiece was last up for grabs via Sotheby's International Realty for £5.6 million ($6.8m).

Found in a wealthy Houston neighbourhood, here's another homebuilder who took inspiration from the Palace of Versailles. Half-completed, Château Carnarvon was snapped up in 2010 by billionaire Ed Bosarge Jr and his now-estranged wife Marie Taylor Bosarge, who put their own grandiose stamp on the sprawling new build.

Stepping inside the property is like entering a European palace: the entrance features a 33-foot-high domed ceiling and exquisite sculptures and artworks, while the Versaille Room, pictured here, is adorned with mouldings and gold-inlaid panelling. Last listed with Sotheby's International Realty for £24.7 million ($30m), the neo-classical-style estate extends across more than 27,000 square feet of living space. 

Once Texas's most expensive home for sale, the property features no fewer than five kitchens, eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a tiered movie theatre, offering residents the full royal experience. Outside, the backyard channels the Mediterranean with Cypress trees, a saltwater pool and a columned pavilion. How's that for luxury?

Hungary's Taj Mahal, Bory Castle was built almost single-handedly by architect and sculptor Jenő Bory over a period of 36 years and finished in 1959. The visionary creative dedicated the concrete castle to his wife, who provided a wealth of decorative artworks for the property.

The castle is a hidge podge of clashing styles, incorporating elements of Gothic, Romanesque, Scottish Baronial and Flemish architecture. Despite this, the castle works beautifully as a cohesive, period-inspired structure and would make a wonderfully unique home.

But by the 80s, the fairytale castle had fallen into disrepair and Bory's grandchildren set about restoring the property to its former glory. The work was completed in 2014 and Bory Castle now functions as a museum, which is open to the public all year round.

Nick Fisher and Jo Jordan built this remarkable farmhouse in Suffolk, England entirely from scratch without the help of an architect. Finished in 2011, but resembling a home from a bygone era, beautiful Belle Grove Farmhouse, aka the 'Dragon House', was just under four years in the making.

Impressively, the couple sourced all the building materials themselves, from fine French oak to quality marble from India. Once complete, they then filled the incredible self build house with fabulous antiques from around the world.

Needless to say, this most unique of homes has won several prestigious awards to date, and in December 2011, the farmhouse was declared the overall winner of The Daily Telegraph Building Awards, and it's not hard to see why!

Completed in 2009, this curious castle makes a real statement in its Connecticut neighbourhood. The regal residence, complete with turrets and battlements, was built on a gravel-covered artificial island by Christopher W. Mark, the great-grandson of Chicago industrialist Clayton Mark Sr.

Mark designed and built the amazing home for his daughters Vivien and Christina. They wanted to be princesses when they were younger and he wanted to make that dream a reality.

A bona fide Gothic extravaganza, the castle features towering vaulted ceilings, painted murals and a grand dining room fit for royalty, while historic memorabilia, including sarcophaguses and replica swords, adorn the otherwordly interiors. 

Encompassing a vast 35,000 square feet, it's hard to believe that this sprawling estate was completed in the 21st century. The Chris Mark Castle, as it's known, is available to rent out for private events and filming if you fancy experiencing this modern Gothic wonder for yourself.

It may look like it belongs in the 15th century, but this historic mansion in Cleveland Heights, Ohio was designed in 1910 by renowned architect Frank Meade. Known as Harcourt Manor, this Elizabethan Tudor home exudes kerb appeal with its handsome stone façade and parapets. 

Harcourt Manor has made something of a name for itself over the years and was even used as a key set for Hollywood blockbuster Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Encompassing 7,422 square feet, the impressive property boasts no end of characterful heritage-inspired features, from dazzling wooden floors to the magnificent central staircase with its intricately carved balustrades.

Throughout the property, there are eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, plus eight show-stopping fireplaces. Outside, the estate includes two acres of landscaped gardens, which feature perennial plants that date back to the home's construction in the early 1900s.

Castel Moussa or Moussa Castle, is the lifelong project of Moussa Abdel Karim Al-Maamari, who grew up poor and dreamed of one day building his very own castle. Located in the Shouf mountains in Lebanon, Moussa poured every penny he had into this regal fortress. 

Every inch a true castle, from the moat and drawbridge to the medieval-style ramparts, it took 40 years to complete the grand build by hand. However, far from an ancient relic of yesteryear, the 37,600-square-foot castle was completed relatively recently, in 1969.

Moussa filled his sprawling castle with enchanting stained glass passages, as well as his weapons collection, daggers, swords, Bedouin jewellery and a vast collection of wax figures depicting scenes from 1960s Lebanon. Only about 25 miles from Beirut, the fascinating castle is open to visitors.

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