Larnach Castle (also referred to as "Larnach's Castle") is a

mock castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

on the

ridge A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...

of the Otago Peninsula within the limits of the

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

of Dunedin, New Zealand, close to the small settlement of

Pukehiki Pukehiki is a small locality on the Otago Peninsula, within the city of Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on the ridge which runs along the centre of the peninsula, from Dunedin city centre, at a junction between Highcliff ...

. It is one of a few houses of this scale in New Zealand. The house was built by the prominent entrepreneur and politician, William Larnach. Since 1967, the castle has been privately owned by the Barker family, and opened as a tourist attraction, as "New Zealand's only castle". The castle and grounds are open daily to members of the public. The Larnach Castle gardens are one of only five gardens nationwide to have been given the rating of "Garden of International Significance" by the

New Zealand Gardens Trust The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH) is a horticultural society in New Zealand. History According to its website, the RNZIH was founded in 1923. New Zealand's National Library holds minute books from the Institute dating back ...

. These were the first gardens in the South Island to receive the title. In 2018, Larnach Castle was designated a New Zealand Landmark by Heritage New Zealand.

History

Construction and style

Larnach Castle was built as the private residence of William James Mudie Larnach. Land for the construction of Larnach Castle was purchased in 1870, and prominent Dunedin architect

R.A. Lawson Robert Arthur Lawson (1 January 1833 – 3 December 1902) was one of New Zealand's pre-eminent 19th century architects. It has been said he did more than any other designer to shape the face of the Victorian era architecture of the city o ...

was selected to design the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

mansion. The site was clear-felled and levelled, allowing construction to begin in 1871. To level the construction site, workers jammed pegs into the layers of volcanic rock before pouring cold, salt water to split the surface. Approximately 200 workmen were used to complete the main structure, using imported materials from around the world. Much of the stone used for the Castle came from a basalt quarry nearby. Other materials included yellow brick, Glasgow brick, Oamaru stone, Port Chalmers basalt, Cornwall blackstone, Italian marble, Marseilles cobbles, Catlins timber, North Island Kauri and local Caversham sandstone for the ballroom. The Godfrey family carved many of the building's intricate ceilings; a single ceiling in the main foyer took six and half years to complete. In 1875, twenty tonne of glass was imported from

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, in an effort to enclose exposed verandahs unsuitable for Dunedin winters.http://www.castlecruiser.co.nz/pages/13-3/Construction Larnach Castle Construction Timeline The addition of the 3000 square foot ballroom was completed in 1887; a 21st birthday present for Larnach's eldest daughter Kate. The resulting complex eventually contained 43 rooms and required a staff of 46 servants. The complex included 35 acres reserved for grounds, including a vinery, and a home farm of 300 acres with its own farmstead including a cow byre for 300 cows, stables, and quarters for farm workers.

Home of the Larnach family

The building, which Larnach himself simply called "The Camp", was coined a "castle" by local press on 8 December 1874, a few days after William and wife Eliza moved in. After a series of personal and financial setbacks he died by

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

in New Zealand's Parliament Buildings in October 1898. Following bitter legal battles over Larnach's will, the Larnach family sold the house in 1906.

Reputation as haunted house

Larnach Castle has a reputation as one of New Zealand's most haunted buildings, with accounts of sightings of the ghost of a bearded Victorian gentleman (presumably Larnach himself), unexplained smells of cigar smoke and port in unoccupied rooms, and visitors and workers at the castle feeling as if they have been suddenly pushed in the back. These tales have drawn paranormal investigators from both New Zealand and overseas, with the location appearing on various "ghost hunter" television programmes from both New Zealand and the United States.

Modern history

Restoration

Throughout the twentieth century Larnach Castle went through constant changes of ownership and usage. The building fell into disrepair, and in 1967 was bought by Barry and Margaret Barker. Norcombe Barker became Larnach Castle Executive Director in 1990. Significant restoration work has since been carried out by the Barker family, along with retrieval of original furniture to refurnish the house. The gardens were not an original feature of William Larnach's home, and have been awarded "Garden of International Significance" status by the

. Funded by its tourism operation, upkeep of the building is a continuous operation—in 2015 the music room underwent a $100,000 refurbishment.

Tourism

Larnach Castle operates as a significant tourist attraction in Dunedin, receiving approximately 120,000 guests per annum. The castle is open to the public 365 days a year; offering guided and self-guided tours, events and accommodation. The Castle regularly hosts in-house events; notably their annual Winter Ball. Larnach Castle Ltd operates three accommodation types; Larnach Castle Stables, Larnach Castle Lodge and the nearby luxury accommodation Camp Estate. Guests staying in accommodation are offered the opportunity to dine inside the Castle.

Appearances

In 1985 it was used as a location for the filming of the TVNZ Dunedin production ''Hanlon''. The same year, it was used in the introductory scenes in the US-New Zealand film co-production, ''Shaker Run''. In 1994, a play about the Larnach family tragedies, titled ''Castle of Lies'', was performed by Dunedin's Fortune Theatre before 100 invited guests in the castle ballroom. Larnach Castle and the Camp Estate were used as locations for the 2022 Netflix film, '' The Royal Treatment''. They represented the residence of the royal family of the fictional country Lavania. The building has been visited by paranormal investigators and featured on local New Zealand television shows such as '' Ghost Hunt'' and ''Spookers'' as well as international television shows such as the American '' Ghost Hunters International''.

References

External links

Larnach CastleGhost Hunters International's Larnach Castle episode
{{Authority control 1870s architecture in New Zealand Buildings and structures in Dunedin Castles in New Zealand Gardens in Otago Historic house museums in New Zealand Historic homes in New Zealand History of Dunedin Houses in New Zealand Museums in Dunedin NZHPT Category I listings in Otago Otago Peninsula Reportedly haunted locations in Dunedin Robert Lawson buildings Scottish baronial architecture Tourist attractions in Dunedin