The design of the castle was a combination of dream, fantasy and
study. Essentially it is a hodge podge, collection of elements gathered by Sir Henry and
translated through the skilled hands of architect E. J. Lennox who relished the task.
The structure was soon criticized as being pretentious and
confused, a bad mixture of medieval styles. Of course there was the readily recognizable
Normal and Scottish towers, but others saw English, Irish, Italian and Rhenish influences
as well. To some the palatial mansion was French-baronial--a combination of French Chateau
and Scottish Baronial. To another it was a mixture of seventeenth century Scottish
Baronial and 20th Century-Fox.
Certainly the medieval styles took root in the imagination of a
royalist such as Sir Henry. A self-professed student of architecture, he was said to have
sketched parts of castles he had seen in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria and
Italy, where he had the chance to observe and examine many fortresses and castle on
one of his youthful tours.
It is interesting that many of the new royalty in the new world
tried to drag some of the elements of the old world to their new grounds. In effect they
tried to assume the positions and stature that would have been denied to them in the land
of their ancestors to a land they came to primarily for economic reasons.
Information/Order Request Form
Indicate what subject area you are interested in knowing about and the topic.
