The story of the castle on the hill began within the mind of a man named William, William Larnach had a vision to construct a grand residence positioned at high elevation on the Otago Peninsula. Designed by RA Lawson the home took over 200 men 3 years to build with the stone shell predominantly constructed from basalt mined near Dunedin city. Completion of the shell was followed by 12 years work by skilled European craftsman on the intricate interior finishing which feature materials sourced from all over the world. Glass from Venice, marble from Italy, tiles from England, grey slate from Wales and and NZ native timber - Kauri and Rimu were sourced to create the elaborate wood detailing visible throughout the interior of the property.

The completed estate consisted of 43 rooms, 35 acres of general grounds and a 300 acre farm running 300 head of cattle.

It was big, it was bold, it was beautiful.

150 years on Larnach Castle is a striking building, a property steeped in intrigue, it is the sort of place that presses you to consider what might have driven a man to create such a unique residence for his family. Today the castle is wrapped in an incredible 7 acre garden, a labour of love created over 54 years by Margaret Barker who purchased the castle as a family home in 1967 with her late husband Barry. Much like the castle which fuses materials from across the globe with NZ timber, the garden reveals international influences blended with New Zealand native plants. This mix gives it a sense of the unexpected fused with a sense of the familiar at various points throughout.

It may be ‘Larnach Castle’ but it is equally ‘Margaret’s Garden.’

Drawing inspiration from the castle and the grounds we created a photography series ‘in colour’ exploring the blending of the past with the present at Larnach Castle, a place that emits a sense of mystery. Think old axminster carpet blended with muted colours of the rainbow, portraying the tension between light and shadow that is palpable within the grand old walls of Larnach Castle.

We explored the grounds of Larnach Castle on a summery Sunday in January, in our previous post ‘Larnach Castle -in the garden’ we have shared a little more about the history of the castle paired with a garden tour in photographs. To view ‘Larnach Castle - in the garden’ click HERE.