Built / Designed For: Henry Disney Roebuck

House & Family History: Midford Castle is a small, three-story house on a trefoil plan (local tradition says that Henry Roebuck had the house built to resemble the ace of clubs to celebrate a great win in gambling). A house of great style, the castellated Midford has quatrefoil and ogee-headed windows and is noted for its staircase handrail with mahogany Corinthian columns for newel posts. Midford is a stylistic cousin of the 1790s Braziers Park in Oxfordshire (it's possible that Midford may have influenced the design of Braziers). Between 1961 and 2007 Midford was the home of the novelist Isabel Colegate, most famous for her 1980 novel "The Shooting Party," which was turned into an award-winning film of the same name in 1985. In 2007 actor Nicholas Cage purchased Midford; he sold it in 2009.

Garden & Outbuildings: The park, a perfect example of the Picturesque Movement, contains the castellated early 19th century gatehouse, the stables, a conservatory, and the Hermit's Cell. The priory (a summer house) features a nave with an apse and a two-storied circular tower.

Chapel & Church: Partially extant is the half-ruined chapel, complete with pinnacles and a tower.

Country Life: XCV, 376, 420, 1944.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Not Listed

Past Seat / Home of: Henry Disney Roebuck, 1775-1810. Conolly family, 1810-1901. Henry Whately, mid-20th century. Isabel Colegate and Michael Briggs, 1961-2007. Nicolas Cage, 2007-09.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No