Torosay Castle

Torosay Castle, also Achnacroish House and later Duart House ( not to be confused with the nearby Duart Castle ) is a castle on the Scottish Hebridean island of Mull. It lies on the east coast of the island on the Bay Duart Bay north of the small town Lochdon. 1971 Torosay Castle was inducted into the Scottish monument lists in category A.

History

At its present location Torosay Castle for a long time was a predecessor called Achnacroish House, which belonged to the headquarters of a line of the clan Campbell from Lanarkshire. Today's Torosay Castle was built in 1856-1858 for John Campbell of Possil. As an architect David Bryce was responsible for planning. Either 1865 or 1870, the castle was sold to Arburthnot Charles Guthrie from the Clan Guthrie. He christened the building into Duart House. From 1911 it was finally Torosay Castle. As of 1983 reversed the narrow-gauge Isle of Mull Railway between the ferry dock in Craignure and Tororsay Castle. She served the direct arrival of tourists to the castle and was operated until 2010.

As of summer 2012: Torosay Castle was sold to private; currently neither the castle nor the garden for tours are open. The railway line was dismantled in places, all trains are sold.

Statuary

Torosay Castle is surrounded by an extensive park system. The terraced gardens are the work of Scottish architect and designer Robert Lorimer and was created in the late 19th century. There are a total of 16 statues erected, which are themselves classified as monuments in the category A. A total of 19 sculptures made of limestone dating from the 18th century and are the work of the Italian sculptor Antonio Bonazza. They had been previously set up in an abandoned village near Padua and were purchased in the year 1900 in Milan. They each show four hunters, gardeners and fishermen and seven women.

Trivia

In July 2008, while opening a sealed for over 100 years dresser inside which, inter alia, a bottle of champagne brand Veuve Clicquot found from 1893. The champagne was in good condition, the yellow labeled bottle is seen today as the oldest preserved bottle of this manufacturer in its visitor center in Reims (France ) - " priceless and not for sale ."