The architect E. J. Lennox didn't begin serious work on the castle
until September 1909, when he drew up the basement plan for what he called "Mansion
Well's Hill." In 1909, only three days were devoted to drawings of the castle which
now showed a frontage of 260 feet and wings 100 feet deep. Although the foundation was put
down early in 1910, work was delayed, likely because of Sir Henry's other commitments,
especially the fall maneuvers in England. No work was done at all on the superstructure,
until late 1910.
Many loads of sand, gravel, and stone were brought up by
horse-drawn trucks and deposited on the grounds on the north side of the foundation. As
none of the roads from Davenport and points north had been paved, the carriages often
bogged down in the deep, muddy ruts in the spring, and the horses had an impossible time
with their loads, which they had picked up at a railway siding near the intersection of
Dupont Street and Davenport Road about a half a mile away.
The climb up the hill by the castle was so steep the horses had a
great deal of difficulty and many fell until the Humane Society intervened and insisted
that an extra "trace" horse be available at the bottom of the hill to help the
teams get the loads up the hill.
The first stone for Casa Loma was laid on a Monday morning, early
in April, 1911. Many thought this stone was put in the wrong place and was a bad
omen. Maybe it was.
