I’ve read a lot of epic fantasy through the years including works by authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin. One of my favorite epic fantasy writers is Stephen Lawhead. One of his best series was the Pendragon Cycle featuring King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Authors seem to make medieval feudalism seem somewhat romantic, though most of us know the reality was far less fantastical.

Many of us are content with reading books, or watching Game of Thrones. However, one Massachusetts resident took as step farther and built his own castle right here on the north shore. Built in the 1920’s by inventor John Hays Hammond, the castle boasts a great room, a tower, a courtyard, gardens, a small drawbridge, and a collection of artifacts from ancient Rome through the Renaissance.

In the great hall is an 8,400 pipe organ which was regularly used for concerts both private and public. The hall is decorated with coats of arms sewn on to colorful banners. Beyond the great hall was a covered courtyard containing a swimming pool tinted green to disguise the depth of the pool and make it look like a garden pond. The courtyard also contained sprinklers to provide rain showers during dinner parties. The courtyard was surrounded by the bedrooms for the family and guests.

Outside, the castle is adorned with gardens on the north, and the sea to the south. The waves crash against the rocks just like the fantasy books describe. As we toured the house, we met a family with their two boys wandering through the halls dressed in Harry Potter robes.  It truly is a magical place.

As I wandered through this unique residence, I marveled at what eccentricities can be indulged with large amounts of money.

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller