Top Homes for sale: The children have gone so there are 30 spare rooms in this mansion

Warwick House, begun in 1872, is believed to be the oldest substantial family residence in the country.

We profile some of the country’s most exclusive houses — all of which are on the market.

Nick Ferrier's residence was a good candidate to feature on My House, My Castle - not least because of this castle's three turrets.

Nick and wife Jenny live in one wing of Nelson's iconic Warwick House mansion. They're selling the entire castle.

"The principal reason for selling is because the kids have grown up and left home," Mr Ferrier said.

In a typical home, the kids moving out might mean two or three rooms becoming available. In this case, over 30 rooms, including bedrooms, are now up for grabs.

The house keeps on giving, too, yielding a hidden wine cellar, archways, internal stairs and secret antique doors and pipes.

Believed to be the oldest substantial family residence in the country, the 1870s' Victorian Gothic Revivalist house comes with original beams, bay windows, clawfoot bath tubs and a Norfolk pine planted in 1850.

Described by its owner as "ideal for Aucklanders," the $2.95 million asking price could buy a three-bedroom house in Remuera. However, in Nelson, $2.95 million buys 14 bedrooms on a 2900sq m property. Fourteen car parks and eight bathrooms are thrown in for good measure.

The house, begun in 1872, has 810m of floor decked out in native timber, including kauri. Most other architectural features were brought over from England.

"We have people outside the gates every day in summer," Mr Ferrier said. "We've been on the US Home and Garden channel. It's been written up in all major magazines, it's listed with wholesalers in the US, UK and Canada.

"Thousands of photographers come by, people are always dying to take photos."

The house is a go-to for weddings, mystery theatre nights and high teas. John Key has stayed there.
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•64 Brougham St, Nelson
•1870s mixed material

Indeed, turret suites and a ballroom with a 17-foot high (5.1m) ceiling are unlikely to be included when hiring a community hall for a meat pack raffle.

Jenny Ferrier is an interior decorator who runs cooking classes from Warwick House.

She's worked hard to maintain the aesthetics of the place, meaning anything 21st century may be banned - but not the wi-fi found everywhere in the house.

The house had six owners before the Ferriers took it on.

Purchasing the house in 2003 after living in Europe and Asia, they ran it as a hotel while living in the property and have had at least 1000 bookings a year.

"One reason we thought we should sell at the moment is ... from the people inquiring so far some are [for a] private home. At the moment it's all connected.

"We use it as a private home and we use the ballroom for our own private functions."

The ideal buyer would be "somebody with an interest in architecture and history", Mr Ferrier said.

The Ferriers plan to remain in the Nelson area once the house is sold.

"We have had interest and offers from the US, China and Russia but are very keen to sell it to New Zealand-based buyers because it is such an important New Zealand heritage building."