Searles Castle (New Hampshire) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Searles Castle
Searles Castle
Location	Searles Road, Windham, New Hampshire
Built	1905–15
Architect	Henry Vaughan
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Searles Castle is a cool old building in Windham, New Hampshire, United States. A man named Edward Francis Searles had it built a long time ago. Construction started in 1905 and finished in 1915.

Mr. Searles wanted the castle to look like a smaller version of an old English manor. This manor was called Stanton Harcourt and was in Oxfordshire, England. However, much of the original English manor was taken down in the 1700s. Because of this, Searles Castle does not look much like the historical building it was inspired by.

Building Searles Castle: How it Was Made

Edward Searles hired an architect named Henry Vaughan to design Searles Castle. The castle is made from strong materials like cut granite, fieldstone (rocks found in fields), and dark red sandstone. Most of these materials came from Mr. Searles' own rock quarries in Pelham, New Hampshire.

The castle sits high up on a large piece of land. This land, known as the Searles estate, is about 175 acres big. Building the castle was very expensive. It cost around $1,250,000 back then.

Inside Searles Castle: Rooms and Spaces

Searles Castle has many different rooms inside. When you enter, you find an entrance area and a reception hall. There is also a foyer and a dining room.

For entertainment, there is a music room and a sun porch. The castle also has a library, which is a room for books. A grand stairway connects the different floors.

The castle includes several guest suites for visitors. There are also rooms for the people who worked there, like servants. It has a kitchen and special rooms for the butler. Mr. Searles had a large master bedroom suite for himself. This suite included his bedroom, a sitting room, a bathroom, and a sun room.

Who Owned Searles Castle After Edward Searles?

Edward Searles passed away on August 6, 1920. He left the castle to his executive secretary, Arthur T. Walker. Mr. Walker owned the castle for seven years.

When Mr. Walker died, he left the castle to his niece, Iva C. McEachern. In 1930, she sold the castle to a real estate broker named Frank M. Andrew. He bought it for $2,000,000.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew lived in the castle from 1943 to 1952. After that, they sold it to a group of nuns called the Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy.

How the Sisters of Mercy Used the Castle

For a while, the Sisters of Mercy used Searles Castle as a special place. Young women who were joining their order lived there and learned about being a nun. This place was called a novitiate.

From 1962 until the mid-1980s, classes were held inside the castle. However, the castle started to have problems, like water damage. Because of these issues, the castle was closed for about five years. The roof was fixed, and in 1990, the Sisters decided to open the castle again.

What is Searles Castle Used for Today?

In 1991, an event called "Decorators' Showcase" was held. This event helped to fix up the inside of the castle. Many interior designers helped by donating their time and skills. Over the years, other people have also given money to help restore the castle.

Since then, the castle has been open to the public. People can use it for different kinds of events. These include social gatherings, cultural events, religious meetings, and business events.

In November 2001, the Sisters of Mercy made a deal with David and Linda Kolifrath. They would help organize and manage events at the castle. At this time, they decided to offer the castle for weddings and receptions. These events could be held in the castle courtyard. This helped the castle be used more and raised money for the Sisters of Mercy's charity programs.

In February 2019, the castle and some nearby properties were sold. A pharmaceutical company owner from California bought them for $3.4 million.

Images for kids

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  This is a view of the south-facing side of Searles Castle.

See also

In Spanish: Castillo Searles (Nuevo Hampshire) para niños