It is, a society runs is and it’s open to the public for viewing, they’ve even tracked down some of the original furnishings that were sold at auction after she died. It’s absolutely stunning at Christmas
How can one pick a favorite room in this beauty? Although, I will say, my favorite part of this tour is in knowing this fabulous castle been spared the wrecking ball. Think of the people who can actually stand in her glory and feel the grandeur of yesteryear surrounding them, still. Kudos to the people who so lovingly keep her available for the Public to enjoy.
This is an absolutely beautiful home!! All of it! I particularly love the alcoves and stained glass windows. The woodwork is lovely too. Like I said, I love it all!
WOW...new one on me Ken....I do love this house a bunch. The exterior is stunning and beautiful! The grand staircase is amazing and I do love the stained glass and many styles. Happy Sunday!
Over many years, this castle has been one of the prized destinations to lovely Victoria. My favorite parts are the organ in the staircase, all of the woodworking, and the glorious views from the upper windows. A continuing piece of work for many volunteers and donors, the castle is a nice (downhill!) walk into the city. Thank you so much for featuring a tiny bite of this era in far away Canada! (Seattleite)
I love everything about this house- the warm woodwork, the way the rooms seem to be cozy, even though they`re huge. I would have loved to have grown up here. It would have been so much fun as a kid exploring all the nooks and crannies. Have you noticed how, in so many cases, the people that build these magnificent places never get to enjoy them for long? Such a shame but at least we get to enjoy and admire them.
I'm surprised you didn't show the unbelievably beautiful ceiling in the dining room! It has to one of the best I've seen in a residential home. Great video though!
Amazing! I love all of the stained glass windows. I wish buildings still incorporated stain glass accents. You can't even find front doors that use colored glass (and that is minimal). Glad it is still standing and now a museum.
What a gorgeous mansion, and I am so glad that it still exists! I love all the carved woodwork and those stained-glass windows. It looks elegant and opulent, yet still looks very livable and comfortable. I would love to visit it someday. Thanks again, for another great house tour!
While in the Victoria area, you should check out Hatley Castle on the grounds of Royal Roads University (formerly Royal Roads Military College) in Colwood.
I love the billiards room and the overall look of the exterior. That stained wood on wood on wood with a touch of wood staircase was a little too much for my liking, but it was a cool design with a little less. The dining room was dark with even more wood. My favorite thing was seeing it all in color!
Thanks for another great video. I had the privilege to visit in person many years ago and was blown away by the staircase. This house is definitely among the best of the best.
One of my favorites so far. Stunning details from the beautiful to whimsical. This house has a personality all its own. Loved it all. Always am saddened when I hear the owner died before being able to enjoy their homes.
I've lived a few blocks from Craigdarroch since 1981. Never been inside it. I''ll have to check it out sometime. Thanks for this video. Interesting channel -- and great to see the number of viewers increasing.
I’ve been here it’s positioned beautifully to have the best views. Talulah Bankhead was connected to another mansion on Vancouver Island the family built - it’s next to the Mansion used in the X-Men movies
I love the top floor dance hall and the tower lookout. The views are really beautiful from there. I'm looking forward to the restoration of the kitchen (which is currently in developement).
The narrator mis-pronounces the name of the castle; it’s Craig - DARE - ock. I was born and raised in Victoria over 70 years ago and have never heard it pronounced differently. It is a magnificent and awe-inspiring home that feels warm and inviting, despite its size. It’s currently undergoing more work to restore the original castle. You must not visit Victoria without seeing this castle.
@@LarsOfMars. in Victoria, British Columbia , where this castle stands, it is pronounced the way I explained above. Perhaps it is pronounced differently in Gaelic, but not here.
Hey Ken, would you ever consider covering any houses in Utah like the McCune Mansion or the Governors Mansion? Both brilliant pieces of architecture and fascinating history.
Craig Darroch - emphasis is on the "Dar" syllable. Also, the southern coast of BC is one of the mildest climates in Canada, never having experienced the "harsh Canadian winters" to which you allude.
A mild climate in canada is still extreme for most. I was in victoria about 20 years ago and it snowed 2 ft of snow and was FREEZING cold. Perspective matters. i would be willing to bet that the majority of this channels fans are south of the canadian border 🤣
On the rare occasion that it ever snows at all in Victoria the snow seldom lasts more than a few days. We look on the west coast as la-la land compared to winter in the rest of the country.
I grew up in Rockland, a block away from Craigdarroch in the '70s, and early 80s...used to run around the house much to the dismay of the volunteer staff of the time ...searching for the ghost of a little girl that was supposed to haunt the house...didn't have an admission fee back then....so we returned many times searching...never saw the girl.
I don't know why, but the Grand Staircase took me to the Grand Staircase on the Titanic, it just needed a clock. The pride of craftsmanship of the workers shows. I looks like the home of Lex Luther from the TV show Smallville.
Beautiful castle, built on the bones of coal miners. How long will Society praise the accomplishments of those who make their fortunes on the poverty of millions? “It happened in an instant, the mass loss of life in the coal mines. At least, that was the case for those lucky enough to die immediately. Those who fought for survival in the dim, smoky underground maze had an unfortunate few seconds, minutes, or even hours to process the horrific experience. Some suffocated and perished in clouds of smoke and gravel. Some endured the hellish sensation of being roasted alive. Some managed to catch a glimpse of the outside, just as the ceilings gave way and collapsed on top of their fleeing bodies. Sixty workers succumbed to such conditions in the Wellington coal mine in Nanaimo on January 24, 1888, leaving the rest of Nanaimo to literally clean up the ashes. This mine belonged to Robert Dunsmuir, the wealthy capitalist of late 19th century Vancouver Island, mostly known today as the creator of Victoria’s Craigdarroch Castle.”
Sad that very shortly after the Portland, Oregon architect designed the castle, central heating came along. Being ROCK it was almost impossible to retro-fit, so became very expensive to maintain.
Intersting use of the word castle. The person who built this must have had slight delusions of grandeur, and had certainly not visited the castles of Europe. As this is a standard sized manor house and bears no resemblance in size to any thing termed a castle this side of the pond.
The Dunsmuirs never referred to the house as a castle. It was simply named Craigdarroch. It was the people of Victoria who called it a castle before it was even finished and the name stuck. It was built on the highest point of land within the city of Victoria and is visible for miles around.
He also built many other palatial homes in Victoria, one is at Royal Roads, there were 2 along the gorge waterway (on each side of the water) and another called Spencer Castle for his daughter to have when she married, there’s schools named after him
@@reasonablerandysRobert Dunsmuir built only one home in Victoria. Hatley (Royal Roads) was built by his son, James Dunsmuir, who previously built Burleith on the Gorge. Across from Burleith was Ashnola which was the home of James' sister Emily. Spencer "castle" was built by David Spencer who owned a chain of department stores and had no connection to the Dunsmuirs.
@@karenfindlay4185 At least I managed to find it. I’ve been to Victoria probably five or six times, the first time on a band trip in high school, but while I found that castle, I never managed to get over to the other one, Hatley Castle. If I’d known it would someday be the X-Mansion, I’d have tried harder☹️ I mean, what kind of an X-Men fan was I anyway? 🤬 Grumble, grumble
@@rickdrais9737 LOL! Right? I haven’t been to Hatley too often, but both castles are gorgeous. Hatley has the advantage of surrounding gardens; if you get a chance to visit Government House, there are lovely gardens, two small museums and a tea house. There are also free open air concerts in July.
The woodwork was beautiful as was the stained glass windows.
GOOD MORNING - This castle is the BEST OF SHOW of all of them. Outstanding woodworks, displays, etc. Truly, worth maintaining......
It is, a society runs is and it’s open to the public for viewing, they’ve even tracked down some of the original furnishings that were sold at auction after she died. It’s absolutely stunning at Christmas
Thank you Ken! I grew up not far from Craigdaroch. It is a beautiful place.
How can one pick a favorite room in this beauty? Although, I will say, my favorite part of this tour is in knowing this fabulous castle been spared the wrecking ball. Think of the people who can actually stand in her glory and feel the grandeur of yesteryear surrounding them, still. Kudos to the people who so lovingly keep her available for the Public to enjoy.
This is lovely. So happy the sons finished the house for their mother. You didn’t say how long she lived there.
My favorite part of this house (and to be honest, in many of the great houses of the same period) is the magnificent woodwork. Excellent video.
And the grand staircase! Wonderful piece of woodwork.
All the woodwork! Amazing👍🏻
I loved the woodwork and the stained glass windows, just so very beautiful and stunning! And also the rooms were beautiful in their own way 😍 ❤️ 💕 😊 💖
Wow the most beautiful home you’ve ever shown us.
This is an absolutely beautiful home!! All of it! I particularly love the alcoves and stained glass windows. The woodwork is lovely too. Like I said, I love it all!
Ooohh, love all the stained glass! And the rest of the "castle" is gorgeous, too!
WOW...new one on me Ken....I do love this house a bunch. The exterior is stunning and beautiful! The grand staircase is amazing and I do love the stained glass and many styles. Happy Sunday!
Thanks for this, I toured this house a few years ago, it is totally fantastic. Well preserved and restored, it is like stepping back in time.
Over many years, this castle has been one of the prized destinations to lovely Victoria. My favorite parts are the organ in the staircase, all of the woodworking, and the glorious views from the upper windows. A continuing piece of work for many volunteers and donors, the castle is a nice (downhill!) walk into the city. Thank you so much for featuring a tiny bite of this era in far away Canada! (Seattleite)
I love everything about this house- the warm woodwork, the way the rooms seem to be cozy, even though they`re huge. I would have loved to have grown up here. It would have been so much fun as a kid exploring all the nooks and crannies. Have you noticed how, in so many cases, the people that build these magnificent places never get to enjoy them for long? Such a shame but at least we get to enjoy and admire them.
Stunning mansion, and so well preserved. If it had been in the US, well. I doubt that it would still be standing.
That "prefabricated" staircase is magnificent. Todays prefab building materials don't quite measure up. 😅
Magnificent !! -- and as with all your videos, beautifully presented. Thanks.
Beautiful castle
Wow absolutely awesome.
I'm surprised you didn't show the unbelievably beautiful ceiling in the dining room! It has to one of the best I've seen in a residential home. Great video though!
Simply fabulous and so glad this house is a museum in the age of bulldozing stately homes.
Amazing! I love all of the stained glass windows. I wish buildings still incorporated stain glass accents. You can't even find front doors that use colored glass (and that is minimal). Glad it is still standing and now a museum.
What a gorgeous mansion, and I am so glad that it still exists! I love all the carved woodwork and those stained-glass windows. It looks elegant and opulent, yet still looks very livable and comfortable. I would love to visit it someday. Thanks again, for another great house tour!
The woodwork makes the large spaces cozy and warm. I like the billiard room.
Beautiful! I love the wood paneling! Library was great! Prob your fav too Ken lol
Yes it was!
While in the Victoria area, you should check out Hatley Castle on the grounds of Royal Roads University (formerly Royal Roads Military College) in Colwood.
It is a must see, especially if you want to continue learning about the Dunsmuir family.
I love the billiards room and the overall look of the exterior. That stained wood on wood on wood with a touch of wood staircase was a little too much for my liking, but it was a cool design with a little less. The dining room was dark with even more wood.
My favorite thing was seeing it all in color!
So glad you did Craigdorroch, thank you! Visited a few years ago - it’s incredible. So beautiful. I love the staircase, sitting room and grand salon.
Thank you!
This castle is gorgeous in so many ways!!! 👍👍🙂
This may be my favorite yet. The paneling reminded me of Glensheen and the stained glass windows were absolutely stunning. Love your videos, Ken!
Thanks for another great video. I had the privilege to visit in person many years ago and was blown away by the staircase. This house is definitely among the best of the best.
Absolutely kept for us to enjoy! Loved the front entrance hall and stairway! The wrought iron chimney stabilizers up on the roof are genius!!
One of my favorites so far. Stunning details from the beautiful to whimsical. This house has a personality all its own. Loved it all. Always am saddened when I hear the owner died before being able to enjoy their homes.
I've lived a few blocks from Craigdarroch since 1981. Never been inside it. I''ll have to check it out sometime. Thanks for this video. Interesting channel -- and great to see the number of viewers increasing.
Love the whole house
This is gotta be one of the coolist homes I've seen on your channel.. keep up the good work
Thank you again for your efforts Ken 🙏☺️
Luxury beyond belief! Love your narration.
I have been to this castle two times. It is beautiful.
Absolutely stunning! Would have loved to have seen views from the many balconies as well! Thank you for sharing this video! From an 🇺🇸grandmother!
Pretty nice that it's still here. Too bad that after a lifetime of hard work, the man didn't get to enjoy it.
I can't say which room is my favorite, but my favorite feature of the castle is its stained glass windows.
😱😮😳🤯💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 Amazing and absolutely beautiful 😍
My favorite parts were the staircase and all of the stained glass!
EVERYTHING ‼️‼️‼️
I’ve been here it’s positioned beautifully to have the best views. Talulah Bankhead was connected to another mansion on Vancouver Island the family built - it’s next to the Mansion used in the X-Men movies
Gorgeous!
I love the top floor dance hall and the tower lookout. The views are really beautiful from there. I'm looking forward to the restoration of the kitchen (which is currently in developement).
The narrator mis-pronounces the name of the castle; it’s Craig - DARE - ock. I was born and raised in Victoria over 70 years ago and have never heard it pronounced differently. It is a magnificent and awe-inspiring home that feels warm and inviting, despite its size. It’s currently undergoing more work to restore the original castle. You must not visit Victoria without seeing this castle.
thats what it sounded like to me. 🤷
@@jamesburtonbud ask a local.
Right. Its Craig Darrock castle. Been there. Done that.
Your pronunciation is also Incorrect, it's Craig-Dar-Ough, no dares involved
@@LarsOfMars. in Victoria, British Columbia , where this castle stands, it is pronounced the way I explained above. Perhaps it is pronounced differently in Gaelic, but not here.
Beautiful.
Look at the carving work done on that staircase.
Hey Ken, would you ever consider covering any houses in Utah like the McCune Mansion or the Governors Mansion? Both brilliant pieces of architecture and fascinating history.
I’ll add them to my list, cheers!
Its nice 2 c u doing what u luv and ur audience growing
I wondering if you have looked into "Castle in the clouds" in New Hampshire?
I’ll look it up, cheers!
Yes please ‼️
@@ThisHouse Thanks… very interesting history
I just love castles
Some houses are still standing today. And these people have been gone for two generations
The wood paneling reminds me of a Hershey bar! 😆
Craig Darroch - emphasis is on the "Dar" syllable. Also, the southern coast of BC is one of the mildest climates in Canada, never having experienced the "harsh Canadian winters" to which you allude.
A mild climate in canada is still extreme for most. I was in victoria about 20 years ago and it snowed 2 ft of snow and was FREEZING cold. Perspective matters. i would be willing to bet that the majority of this channels fans are south of the canadian border 🤣
On the rare occasion that it ever snows at all in Victoria the snow seldom lasts more than a few days. We look on the west coast as la-la land compared to winter in the rest of the country.
We are the California of Canada
Growing up we pronounced it as 'craig derrick' as opposed to 'cragdo rock' as this video says. I don't know which is proper.
I grew up in Rockland, a block away from Craigdarroch in the '70s, and early 80s...used to run around the house much to the dismay of the volunteer staff of the time ...searching for the ghost of a little girl that was supposed to haunt the house...didn't have an admission fee back then....so we returned many times searching...never saw the girl.
I don't know why, but the Grand Staircase took me to the Grand Staircase on the Titanic, it just needed a clock. The pride of craftsmanship of the workers shows. I looks like the home of Lex Luther from the TV show Smallville.
I liked the down spouts!
If I had the money and wanted to design my own house it would look something like this Castle.
Beautiful woodwork. The toilet looked mighty primitive!
Pool room, love your house vids!
So strange to see a place on this channel thats just down the road!
Good morning, the whloe house!❤ What was writen in the stone above the fireplace. It started with"Welcome"? Thanks
I'm glad you enjoyed this house! The inscription reads, "Welcome ever smiles and Farewell goes sighing"
Reminds me of Boldt Castle
reminds me of the William temple house in NW portland Oregon
The stained glass and woodwork are amazing! What does the name of the castle Craigdarroch mean?
Quite a marvel.
Live in 2011 at Wei Tu's Manor House a softballs distance from here: Rockland is the Hollywood Hills of Victoria.
Harsh Canadian winters? Somebody might need to do some homework. This is Victoria, I cut my lawn in February.
Us too 🙄 didn’t want to but had to this weekend 😂
Is this castle.still.standing?
I have been there, it would have been great if you focused more on the interiors'
Looks like the mansion in Citizen Kane!
Beautiful castle, built on the bones of coal miners.
How long will Society praise the accomplishments of those who make their fortunes on the poverty of millions?
“It happened in an instant, the mass loss of life in the coal mines. At least, that was the case for those lucky enough to die immediately.
Those who fought for survival in the dim, smoky underground maze had an unfortunate few seconds, minutes, or even hours to process the horrific experience. Some suffocated and perished in clouds of smoke and gravel. Some endured the hellish sensation of being roasted alive. Some managed to catch a glimpse of the outside, just as the ceilings gave way and collapsed on top of their fleeing bodies.
Sixty workers succumbed to such conditions in the Wellington coal mine in Nanaimo on January 24, 1888, leaving the rest of Nanaimo to literally clean up the ashes.
This mine belonged to Robert Dunsmuir, the wealthy capitalist of late 19th century Vancouver Island, mostly known today as the creator of Victoria’s Craigdarroch Castle.”
Sad that very shortly after the Portland, Oregon architect designed the castle, central heating came along. Being ROCK it was almost impossible to retro-fit, so became very expensive to maintain.
Intersting use of the word castle. The person who built this must have had slight delusions of grandeur, and had certainly not visited the castles of Europe. As this is a standard sized manor house and bears no resemblance in size to any thing termed a castle this side of the pond.
The Dunsmuirs never referred to the house as a castle. It was simply named Craigdarroch. It was the people of Victoria who called it a castle before it was even finished and the name stuck. It was built on the highest point of land within the city of Victoria and is visible for miles around.
He also built many other palatial homes in Victoria, one is at Royal Roads, there were 2 along the gorge waterway (on each side of the water) and another called Spencer Castle for his daughter to have when she married, there’s schools named after him
@@reasonablerandysRobert Dunsmuir built only one home in Victoria. Hatley (Royal Roads) was built by his son, James Dunsmuir, who previously built Burleith on the Gorge. Across from Burleith was Ashnola which was the home of James' sister Emily. Spencer "castle" was built by David Spencer who owned a chain of department stores and had no connection to the Dunsmuirs.
@@dwaveryn sure 👍
Should've titled it Canadian Castle.
The really freaky thing is that it’s right in the middle of a typical middle class neighborhood
The land that makes up the middle class (really more upper class) neighbourhood used to all be part of the Craigdarroch Estate.
It’s actually an upper middle class neighbourhood. Government House is just a couple of blocks away.
@@karenfindlay4185 It’s still something that tends to surprise tourists. It’s not the kind of thing that you expect to see in any urban neighborhood
@@karenfindlay4185 At least I managed to find it. I’ve been to Victoria probably five or six times, the first time on a band trip in high school, but while I found that castle, I never managed to get over to the other one, Hatley Castle. If I’d known it would someday be the X-Mansion, I’d have tried harder☹️ I mean, what kind of an X-Men fan was I anyway? 🤬 Grumble, grumble
@@rickdrais9737 LOL! Right? I haven’t been to Hatley too often, but both castles are gorgeous. Hatley has the advantage of surrounding gardens; if you get a chance to visit Government House, there are lovely gardens, two small museums and a tea house. There are also free open air concerts in July.
Now days you could spend $17 million & not get anything as unique.
I’m no architect but I am a European so I know that if it has windows and a porch, it isn’t a castle.
The castle is also haunted.