LARNACH’S CASTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20068, 14 October 1939, Page 3

LARNACH’S CASTLE

OLD DUNEDIN BUILDING DANGER OF DEMOLITION MUSEUM PROPOSAL The present owner of Lanarch’s Castle. Dunedin, Air. ,T. Jackson Purdie, says he is seriously consideringdemolishing the building. Mr. Purdie, acting on medical advice, has decided' to live in the city, and he feels that lie cannot afford to hear the upkeep of the castle or its grounds solely for. members of the public to inspect the famous old building. “It hag been my hope for some time that the city would acquire the castle and preserve it for all time as. a museum piece,’’ said Mr. Purdie. “'ln fact, I have offered it to the council for £SOOO. 1 would like to see it turned into an old identities’ museum, in which” all the relics associated with Otago’s past could be housed in the most suitable surroundings. Unless the city or some such body takes it over I shall be compelled to demolish the building' and sell the valuable materials it contains.” Memories of Scottish Castles It comes as a great surprise to the tourist to come upon an old-world castle in such a young country,, for Larnnch’s Castle was built on,similar lines to the ancient castles of'Scotland. In 1576, Mr, W. J. Al. Larnaeh, a member of a wealthy Scottish family, went to Dunedin to manage the old Otago Rank. With hint..he brought memories of old Scottish castles and into his mind came the idea to build just such a castle in the newly-founded Scottish' colony, -t- - . It took five years to build the castle, and carvers were employed for-years after that completing the interior decorations. Sixty men were employed, including the English''carver Godfrey, who worked for 12 years full time and six years intermittently pit the castle, and a French carver named Francis, who was employed for three years. The castle is set in 35 acres of land and there is a wealth of interest and beauty in the grounds. One remarkable feature is the reservoir with its mile, of piping. As this work-.(was carried out nearly tiS years ago, it'was certainly a groat achievement. In rite past six years no fewer than 85,000 people have visited the castle, and in this number have been hundreds of overseas tourists, who have been amused to find an old castle in such an unexpected place.