Torosay Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Torosay Castle |
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| Site information | |
| Owner | Campbell family |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1858 |
| Built by | Architect David Bryce |
Torosay Castle is a large and impressive house located about 2.4 kilometers south of Craignure. It sits on the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. This beautiful building has a rich history and is surrounded by stunning gardens.
Contents
History of Torosay Castle
The buildings and gardens of Torosay Castle were officially recognized as important historical sites in 1987. The property was first known as Duart House. It was later renamed Torosay to avoid confusion with Duart Castle, another famous castle on the same island.
Building the Castle
The castle was designed by a famous architect named David Bryce. He created it for John Campbell of Possil in a style called Scottish Baronial style. This style often includes towers, turrets, and other features that make a building look like an old castle.
Construction of what was then called Duart House finished in 1858. It was built on a much grander scale than the Georgian house that stood there before.
Owners and Changes
In 1865, the castle was sold to Arbuthnot Charles Guthrie. His family owned it until 1911. After that, Sir Fitzroy Maclean bought the castle when it was in need of repair and arranged for it to be restored. For a long time, Torosay was considered the main home for Clan Guthrie.
Torosay Castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens that cover about 4.9 hectares. These gardens include formal terraces that were designed around the year 1900.
The garden has a special "Statue Walk" with 19 statues. These statues are in the style of an Italian artist named Antonio Bonazza. An earlier owner, Walter Murray Guthrie, bought these statues from an old garden near Milan. They were shipped to Scotland for very little money, used as heavy ballast in a cargo ship.
Many interesting people visited Torosay Castle over the years. The writer Angela du Maurier stayed there with her friend Olive Guthrie. Angela even dedicated one of her books to Olive Guthrie of Torosay. Famous visitors in the 1930s included Winston Churchill and King George of Greece.
Torosay Castle in the 21st Century
The castle was sold in 2012 by Christopher Guthrie-James, whose family had owned it for a long time. The new owner, the McLean Fund, closed the castle for renovations. A private family moved into the castle in December 2013.
Kenneth Donald McLean, the current owner, has spent a lot of money making improvements to the castle and its gardens. Torosay Castle is now a private home and is no longer open to the public. However, the gardens are open on the first Sunday of each month from April to October.
A report from 2017 mentioned that the new owner was "Madame von Speyr." Her charity, the Dew Cross Centre for Moral Technology, was said to be based at the castle. However, by 2019, the charity listed its main office in Edinburgh.
A Special Discovery
In July 2008, a very old bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne was found inside a sideboard at Torosay Castle. The bottle was from 1893 and was in perfect condition. It is believed to have been hidden in the dark sideboard since at least 1897. This priceless bottle is now on display at the Veuve Clicquot visitor center in Reims, France.
Images for kids
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Castle grounds
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Gardens at Torosay Castle
