The Castle

Craigdarroch Castle is an example of a "bonanza castle", massive houses built for men who became wealthy because of the industrial transformation of North America. Three of Dunsmuir's American business associates were railroad entrepreneurs who had built their own bonanza castles: Collis P. Huntington, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker.

Dunsmuir's American connections are reflected in the Castle itself. He commissioned architect Warren Heywood Williams of Portland, Oregon to design Craigdarroch. When Williams died, Arthur L. Smith (a member of the same firm) completed the project with assistance from Williams' son, David L. Williams.

The interior oak panelling was fabricated by the A.H. Andrews Co. of Chicago from white oak probably felled on land owned by the subsidiary Andrews Lumber Company in Arkansas. These pre-fabricated elements (including stairs, doors, window frames, and 2182 panels) were shipped from Chicago to Victoria in five railcars in the summer of 1890, and installed in the house. Other woods used in the house included: Spanish mahogany (in the Library); western red cedar (in the Porte Cochere Entrance); cherry (in the Breakfast Room and used for the window sashes throughout the house); Hawaiian koa (in the drawing room floor); and multi-patterned parquetry throughout the house incorporate exotic woods such as walnut, jarra, rosewood, maple, holly, and oak.

Craigdarroch Castle has one of North America's finest collections of Victorian residential stained and leaded glass windows. These windows are believed to have been produced by an American studio.

The red slate for the roof was produced from a quarry near the Vermont/New York border. The ridge and hip roof pieces were originally manufactured in Lincoln, California by Gladding, McBean (a company still in operation). Paintings depicting American landscapes by Frederick Schafer adorned the walls of the Castle.

Craigdarroch was a twenty-eight acre estate with the main entrance situated at the intersection of Fort Street and what is now Joan Crescent. From Fort Street the estate stretched south to what is now Rockland Avenue. On the south side of the Castle, the huge lawn was enclosed on three sides by a massive, twenty-foot high stone wall. Two staircases, on the east and west walls, provided access to the gardens below. In those days, a visitor could stroll along numerous paths and enjoy the quiet ponds, streams and meadows. The Castle grounds today are approximately 1.75 acres including this large south lawn which is currently undergoing extensive restoration.

In the 1880's and 90's architects of the time were being influenced by a Romanesque revival that was underway.Leading the charge was American architect H.H. Richardson. What later became known as the "Richardsonian Romanesque" style can be seen throughout Craigdarroch Castle's construction. This very free, revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish and Italian Romanesque characteristics. It emphasizes clear, strong picturesque massing, round-headed "Romanesque" arches, often springing from clusters of short squat columns, recessed entrances, richly varied rustication, boldly blank stretches of walling contrasting with bands of windows, and cylindrical towers with conical caps embedded in the walling.

This style of building also imposed a great burden on the interior where close attention to detail was required in order to minimize the foreboding effects of the substantial construction. The Castle's interior oak panelling was fabricated by the A.H. Andrews Co. of Chicago. Their attention to detail gives the interior of Craigdarroch a warmth throughout and many of the rooms incorporate exotic woods such as walnut, jarra, rosewood, maple, holly, and oak.

Craigdarroch Castle also boasts some of the finest residential stained and leaded glass in North America. There are 33 original stained glass windows to see in the home and postcards of them are available in the Museum Gift Shop

It wasn't until the Victoria Conservatory of Music vacated in 1979 that The Society was given the opportunity to operate the Castle solely as a historic house museum. Restoration work to return Craigdarroch Castle to the way it was when Joan Dunsmuir first took up residence could now progress at a much faster rate. In 1994, the City of Victoria sold the Castle to The Society, now renamed The Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society. With the support of annual visitation of approximately 140,000 visitors per year, the invaluable contributions made by 120 volunteers, and the dedication of a staff of 14, The Society continues its work as a non-profit organization. We thank you for your visit! Through your admission fee, you contribute directly to the preservation and restoration of this important National Historic Site.

After extensive archeological work and careful study of the journal maintained by the original landscape architect, the Board of Directors of the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society took another step in the ongoing effort to conserve Craigdarroch Castle and bring its history to life. The Board recently approved the expenditure of nearly $600,000 to complete the restoration of the grounds surrounding the Castle. C & W Campbell of Victoria was awarded the contract and when their work is completed later this year the improvements will, among other things, allow for easier access to the large lawn on the south side of the Castle and provide visitors with a better feel for and more information about the original estate. Thanks to the number of visitors each year we have raised the money for this project through admission fees and donations

The interpretive plan will see replica sandstone gateposts installed on the boulevards of Joan Crescent at Fort Street, similar to the ones that greeted visitors to the Dunsmuir estate in 1890. Also included in this ambitious project is the removal of several trees to improve sightlines while maintaining all of the original old-growth Garry Oaks and the trees that the Dunsmuir's planted. Re-paving of the parking area making it slightly smaller to allow for more green space while adding an interpretation of the Dunsmuir's carriageway in place of the existing pathway connecting to Craigdarroch Road will provide a pleasant and informative access to the Castle grounds from the West.

The Society will also install many historic plantings about the property to reflect the types enjoyed by the Dunsmuir's during their residency at the Castle. With the return of the walking paths on the South lawn to their historic locations plus additional seating, lighting and interpretive signs, visitors and residents alike will enjoy a different way to experience the Castle grounds and the neighborhood of Rockland.

These Images show what the grounds looked like in the 1890's as well as artist conceptions of what they might look like when restoration is complete later this summer.