Castles of New England

In the late 1800 to early 1900s the building of European-style 'castles' had a bit of a moment among the uber-wealthy in America. Inspired by medeival to rennessaince-ish architecture (emphasis on ish) these buildings are perhaps the closest we can get to a real 'Castle' without boarding a trans-Atlantic flight.

Hammond Castle

Goucester, MA • View Website

Built from 1926–1929 by inventor John Hays Hammond Jr., the castle was his home, laboratory, and museum. Today, it stands as a museum home housing his collection of artefacts from the Rome to the rennessaince, as well as exhibits about Hammond's life and inventions.

Gillette Castle

East Haddam, CT • View Website

Gillette Castle was the home of American actor William Gillete (best known for his stage portrayla of Sherlock Holmes) until his death in 1937. The building is an odd blend of medeival gothic, victorian, an arts and crafts styles. It's ownership passed to the state of Connecticut in 1943 and it is now a state park.

Winnekenni Castle

Haverhill, MA • View Website

Built by a Chemist after visiting England as a summer home, Winnekenni is one of the smaller castles on the list. It's owned by the city of Haverhill and while the interior is currently closed due to structural issues, the property itself is a public park.

Bancroft's Castle

Groton, MA • View Website

An unrealized Castle, this small structure was intended to be the first of what would become a larger estate, but as is often the case Bancrofts vision was richer than his wallet. The wooden parts of the castle burned down in the 1930's, and the stone walls remain today as part of a hiking trail in Groton.

Hearthstone Castle

Danbury, CT • View Website

Q

All of the above 'Castles' are open to the public to some degree. There are more that are privately owned or serve as hotels or event spaces, but you can't just go check them out, so I excluded them from the main list. Some of these privately-held castles include:

  • Searles Castle: Built in Windham, NH in 1915, it currently operates as an wedding/event vanue.
  • Kimball Castle : Former summer home of a railroad magnate, Kimball Castle is in disrepair and not open to the public.