British Invasion

By Mark Loehrke

This Naperville estate takes its inspiration from the grand manors of England

While 2026 is a big year for celebrating American independence from England, folks on this side of the pond, of course, didn’t reject every form of British influence.

Take for instance the 7,207-square-foot house at 24W141 Hobson Road in Naperville, now on the market for $6 million, whose owners were directly inspired by some of the smaller castles they saw dotting the English countryside (“smaller” being a very relative descriptor here). Transferring some of their favorite notions from the U.K. to the Midwestern prairie, they spent three years at the beginning of this millennium creating their own version of a grand Tudor estate. And more than two decades later, the resulting seven-bedroom, nine-bath manor remains something of a transatlantic sight to behold.

From the hand-carved wood detailing at every turn to the antique chandeliers throughout (including a massive 250-pounder above the entryway), regal features abound. And with rooms like the two large kitchens (connected by a dumbwaiter), the library with exposed walnut beams, and the family room with its 20-foot ceiling, the overall effect is very castle-like indeed. (Not to mention the five fireplaces and wide white oak floors throughout the manor.) Beyond the walls, meanwhile, the three-acre setting is dotted with patios, garden paths, and even a storage building designed to match. Need to release the hounds? No problem thanks to the six-foot wrought-iron fence enclosing the grounds.

All in all, a luxurious reminder that not everything about England warranted a rebellion.

Photos: Will Crews/Lucrative Dynamics