Craigdarroch: The Story of Dunsmuir Castle

by Terry Reksten

Award-winning author Terry Reksten chronicles the fascinating history of Dunsmuir Castle. Built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, this unique architectural wonder that sits atop the highest point of land in Victoria attracts 100,000 visitors anually. Criagdarroch journies through the castle's chequered past, from the heady days when it was the most expensive residence in Western Canada to the time it became the prize in a lottery so unusual that it was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not. The author gives special attention to the years the castle housed Victoria College and an undergraduate named Pierre Burton carved his name so deeply into the exquisite panelling that he remains the "king of castle graffiti."

Genres: History

110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history of Victoria's 'castle', a quirky building built by one of the west coasts richest men. Covers the Dunsmuir families rise and partial fall, the building of the castle and its usage after the family sold it.

Well written and well researched, it grabs in a lot of little details.

[SusanwithaGoodBook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the Dunsmuir family and how the house has been used over the years. When we visited the castle they told us some of this history, but the book has more detail and photos, so it was a good purchase and a good read.