Leland Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Leland Castle
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 29 Castle Pl., New Rochelle, New York |
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| Area | 2.62 acres (10,600 m2) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | William Thomas Beers |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001291 |
| Added to NRHP | August 27, 1976 |
Leland Castle, also called Castle View, is a historic building in New Rochelle, New York. It was built between 1855 and 1859. This grand home was designed in the Gothic Revival style. It served as the country home for Simeon Leland, a rich hotel owner from New York City.
Leland started buying land for his estate in 1848. He began building this huge 60-room mansion in 1855. The famous New York City architect William Thomas Beers designed the house. Later, in 1899 and 1902, new sections were added to the north and south sides.
Today, Leland Castle and its land are part of the College of New Rochelle campus. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It was also listed on the New York State Register in 1980.
What Does Leland Castle Look Like?
Leland Castle is a 2½-story building made of rough granite stone. It has a Gothic Revival design. The outside of the castle has several cool towers. There's a tall square tower on one corner. Another corner has a hexagonal tower, and a round tower is on the northwest side.
The main entrance on the east side has a pointed Gothic arch. The tall, black-walnut doors are decorated with lion's heads. They are surrounded by narrow windows with Gothic details. All the castle windows have fancy Gothic patterns. They are also topped with decorative moldings.
Inside, the entrance hall has beautiful walnut wood panels. The floor is made of blue and gold Minton tiles. The library is also in the Gothic style. It features a bay window with stained-glass borders. This room still has its original shutters and bookcases. It also has one of the three original fireplaces.
Some rooms on the first floor have a Renaissance style. They feature round arched doorways. The music room arches have fancy rococo designs. These designs include busts of old English kings and queens. The dining room has a Renaissance-style sideboard and mantel. These were made especially for this room. They contrast with the Gothic diamond-paned windows. These windows have etched, amber-colored, stained-glass borders. The sliding doors between the dining and drawing rooms still have their etched glass panels.
In 1902, a large new section was built on the north side. This new part matched the Gothic style of the original castle. The attic rooms were divided into smaller spaces. A small chapel was even put into a former bedroom. In 1926, lightning damaged the wooden top of the rear north tower. Later, in the mid-1900s, some wooden decorations were replaced. They were changed to copies made of galvanized iron.
In 1974, a new staircase was added inside the square tower. The castle has three large chimneys. These were originally used to heat the building. Many of the original gas lighting fixtures are still there. A chapel was added to the south side of the building. A dormitory wing, with a larger chapel, was also added in 1902.
Leland Castle's Story
In 1848, Simeon Leland bought 40 acres of land in New Rochelle. This land overlooked Long Island Sound. Like many successful New York businessmen, he used the new railroads. These railroads made it easy to travel to country areas outside New York City. He planned a beautiful suburban home for a stylish life. Leland was famous for his fancy Metropolitan Hotel in New York's theatre district. His home became just as famous because he often hosted parties there.
Leland retired in 1872 when his hotel lease ended. He died later that year with many debts. The bank took over Castleview. However, the new owner, Manhattan Life Insurance Company, let Mrs. Leland and her children stay until 1880. After that, the home was rented by the Queens County Hunt Club. They used it as an inn, and it was known as "Castle Inn" for two years.
In 1884, Adrian Iselin, Jr. bought the castle and its land. He wanted to turn the land into a neighborhood. He paved streets, like Castle Place, and added gas lines. He also planted many trees. Soon, the original 40-acre estate became much smaller, only about 2½ acres. Iselin's Residence Park took up most of the old estate grounds.
For a few years, the castle was a boarding school for boys. This was from 1889 to 1892. Later, it became Miss Morse’s Academy for young ladies. In 1897, a fire damaged the castle. It started in the chimney and hurt the roof, plaster, and woodwork. Miss Morse had no insurance and had to leave. Adrian Iselin promised to fix the damage. Then, Mother Irene Gill bought the castle for her Ursuline Seminary.
Today, Leland Castle stands in a more developed area than it once was. It shows the style and way of life that people admired in the late 1800s. It is also the only building still standing that was designed by William Thomas Beers.
Until 2019, the castle held the main offices for the College of New Rochelle. It also housed the college's Castle Art Gallery.
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