CARGILL’S CASTLE

Built between 1875 and 1877 Cargill’s clifftop castle located in the hillside suburbs above St Clair, Dunedin has an outlook over the Pacific befitting nobility.

T h e C l i f f s

The sheer scale and presentation of the limestone cliffs above St Clair and out to Tunnel Beach are striking.  From the hilltop the outlook across the pacific ocean highlights the vast expansiveness of blue that stretches out across the horizon. 

Whether you visit on a Dunner stunner of a day or when it’s blowing a gale and can only be described as exhilarating (or breathtaking) there’s something quite special about this coastline.

T h e h e a r t o f a c a s t l e

Whether you like to think of it as the feel,  the essence or the soul of a building, when pointing a camera around a space I’m always conscious of what it feels like.  Technical aspects aside if I can create images that replicate the feeling in a room, that would be a successful image.  

One of the most significant jobs I’ve worked on this year which was a huge privilege for me to have access to was this one.   142 years old and now a beautiful ruins up on the cliffs, she has a mysterious allure that was a challenge to capture.

A formulaic approach was not possible on this shoot,  no client brief to follow,  just me chasing the mystery.  When you look,  there are layers,  the grandeur,  the decay,  the interaction with landscape,  the magnificence of the setting.  After multiple visits I came away each time feeling a sense of elusiveness which I’ve had to come to terms with.  

Of any place I’ve been to date I think she deserves to retain some of her secrets. 

Note: due to the instability of the building it is unsafe to access the inside but the open exterior walls allowed an internal perspective.

ONCE UPON A TIME in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland a baby boy was born.   The boy named Edward must have had something of an adventurous spirit - at 14 he’d joined the merchant navy and by the time he reached his 20’s he was living and operating as a merchant in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).   In 1857 Edward followed his father to Dunedin where he became a prominent figure in business and politics.

In the 1870’s Edward commissioned  the building of an elaborate 21 room clifftop home with architect Francis Petre.   One of the first NZ buildings in the Italianate architectural style it would house Edward,  Dorothy and their 5 daughters from 1877 when construction was completed until 1908 when it was sold (with Edward passing in 1903)

The home’s original name ‘The Cliffs’ was quickly superseded by the name it’s known by today ‘Cargills Castle’ after owner Edward -  Edward Bowes Cargill.  Although technically not castle but more elaborate mansion you’d have to say there’s something quite fitting about the name castle alluding to the design,  proportions, regal curved archways and substantial tower.

Over the next few days I’ll be sharing images of Cargill’s castle which is privately owned by The Cargills Castle trust who rescued the building from planned demolition in 1996. 

The castle is valuable to our city as a heritage, cultural and architectural site with the trust diligently working towards it’s stabilization and development so it can be viewed and enjoyed by all of us.  All information shared with my photographs is from the Cargills Trust website  www.cargillscastle.co.nz

ONCE UPON A TIME there were five girls -   Helen, Margaret, Frances, Annie & Isobel,  I’m not sure what age Cargills daughters were when they moved into the castle but it’s easy to imagine an idyllic upbringing by the sea in a clifftop mansion.

Early photographs show a grand circular driveway with horses and carts,   elegant landscaping befitting the building and grounds that included stables, a coach house, workers quarters, tomato houses and acres of land.     (view www.cargillscastle.co.nz for more information)

Margaret caused quite the scandal with her staunchly presbyterian father when she fell in love with the castle architect Francis Petre (who was Catholic).  This must have been resolved as there was a castle wedding in 1881 and the couple inherited the property on Edwards death in 1903.

ONCE UPON A TIME an outhouse caught fire - 15 years after the family moved in disaster struck in 1892 with a large fire spreading from an adjoining outhouse and gutting the castle interior.  A 3 year rebuild would result in the addition of a ballroom on the eastern side of the building. 

The current state is far removed from ballrooms and parties with the structural condition of the castle deteriorating as exposure to the elements (abundant on the clifftop location) and the foundational build component (structural steel reinforced concrete) affected by rust.

Ongoing review,  planning and fundraising is being undertaken by the castle trust to stabilize the ruins including roofing it which will help protect the structure from further decay and enable it to have a future.

 ONCE UPON A TIME in the 1930’s and 1940’s the castle (owned by John Hutton) was the place to be.   Whether your taste ran more towards a daytime trip up the tower followed by afternoon tea or dinner and a Saturday night boogie on the ballroom dance floor, it catered for all. 

The Castle Cabaret club had its fair share of visits from the men in blue with a reputation for patrons who were ‘under the influence’ and  some castle ‘debauchery’ going down.  

I’m not sure if there’s a party house on Highgrove these days but it certainly seems that the earlier years for Cargills castle were its best and most lively ones.   From 1949 onwards the operations of various owners which including a hotel and an arts centre were relatively unsuccessful with the building slowly deteriorating in condition.

ONCE UPON A TIME there was a family castle -  there’s something quite special about this building,  a heritage jewel in Dunedin’s crown that deserves to be protected and retained.

 No matter how many photographs I have under my belt or how many buildings I’ve looked at in my day job as a window cleaner or my side hustle as a photo geezer,   I’m continually astounded by the design, scale, craftmanship and ornate detail that were planned and executed in the early builds with the minimal tools and resources at their disposal at that time. 

Thankfully Dunedin has it’s share of developers, building owners, individuals and groups like the Cargills castle trust dedicated to adaptive re-use and the retention of the heritage and character that makes the city special.  

ONCE UPON A TIME the St Clair cliffs beckoned a Scotsman called Edward and it’s not difficult to see why.

The landscape in this area is stunning,  the expansive pacific ocean,  the sun, the wind,  the rain,  elements while sometimes harsh are always exhilarating.  Coastal life is never boring and the trees on and near castle grounds attest to this with their gnarled bark,  twisted frames and branches. 

When thinking back to the early pioneers,  I imagine those who made it out as settlers to NZ were hardy souls – many came from countries with rugged winters and harsh conditions so perhaps Edward found the St Clair clifftops tropical after his upbringing in Edinburgh albeit a bit windy on occasion.

The trees in the image above look like they’re reaching out organic arms to consume the castle which stands relatively defenseless against the long term forces of nature.

T H A N K S F O R H A V I N G M E C A S T L E 

It was a few months ago that I visited but this place definitely left an impression.  

R e s p e c t

G r a t i t u d e

I n t r i g u e

Appreciation to the trust for the opportunity.

ONCE UPON A TIME always ends in ‘they all lived happily ever after’ but when it comes to Cargill’s Castle the ending is yet to be written.   The building is in good hands with the caretakers of the trust dedicated to do what they can as to preserve and retain the building, working side by side with the community who are integral to it’s future,  that’s us.

The next step for the castle is stabilisation,   making the grounds safe for visitors to view the ruins, to hear stories of the families who called it home, to imagine what life must have been like and to enjoy the mysterious ambience that the old property is imbued with.

It’s a project that’s worth getting behind whether that be supporting fundraisers like the heritage homes tour,  through donation,  working bees or by raising awareness,   there are numerous ways big and little to offer support.   It began as Edward Cargill’s Castle but the vision of the trust today is for a castle that is accessible to the community, a ‘community castle’ in essence.

Let’s do our bit to create a happily ever after for Cargill’s Castle.

 Read more at www.cargillscastle.co.nz