A look inside a Medieval Castle - Hammond Castle

Here is some information, pictures and video inside the famous and rather spooky Hammond Castle in Gloucester Massachusetts. The castle was built in the 1920's by the very rich and very successful John Hammond. He was an inventor on a par with Edison.

There are a lot of interesting and amazing things about this castle that are typically in the realm of castles that are in Europe. But this one is right in New England. And even though it is less than a hundred years old it is very much a medieval castle just like it's European counterparts. The builder and owner very much stuck to the design and feel of those old castles. He was fascinated by them.

You can learn more about this castle, check out the visiting hours and more on the official website: Hammond Castle

Some Amazing things about this castle:

The castle of course has a secret passage that leads out of one of the bedrooms. I have a picture not of the passage itself but of the secret door that hides it
In one of the towers there are three floors above ground level. On the first floor up there is a dungeon, the second floor up has an armory and blacksmithery, the third floor up has a chapel. About the blacksmithery: I have pictures and more information about it here: Inside a Medieval Castle's Blacksmithy
The Great Hall of the castle is absolutely spectacular and it has the biggest pipe organ every put in a private residence. This organ was designed by Hammond himself and a lot of the castle was specifically designed around it.
There is one thing about this castle that I absolutely love. It has an inner courtyard with a beautiful pool and around this courtyard is some wonderful architecture including a 15th century french store front. This store front is just amazing. It really captures the feel of a village in the Middle Ages. I have a picture of this store front.
Tid bits and factoids: The castle itself has been the site for a lot of interesting projects and it has appeared in an episode of Bewitched, and been the setting for the novels of a mystery writer (John Dandola - more below). Hammond and his wife were very much into the occult and mysterious things; they did all kinds of experiments and the castle is purported to be haunted

Here is some video footage inside the castle showing the Great Hall, the Courtyard, Armory and more

Pictures inside the castle

(Below: The Main Gate and Drawbridge)

Main gate and drawbridge

(Below: Inside the Great Hall)

Inside the Great Hall

(Below: The 15th Century Storefront in the courtyard)

the 15th Century Store Front

(Below: A suit of Armor in the Great Hall)

Suit of armor

RESOURCES and MORE INFORMATION

The official Hammond Castle website

A look inside the Hammond Castle Blacksmith Shop . I took a trip to a medieval castle, which was pretty cool. And the castle of course had a blacksmithery including a built in forge. Here is some information about it and some pictures. A blacksmith's shop inside a castle.

The History of Castles: Fortifications Around the World

The perfect tour guide to the world's most fascinating castles and strongholds.

Fiction with the Castle as a setting - An author has written several books that have the castle as part of the background or story.

Wicked Is the Wind: A Jeffrey Devereaux--Kirsten Eriksson Novel

Epiphany, Massachusetts, had been founded by Shakers and rescued from fire by Civil War veterans of the famous 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers. The soldiers and their families were invited to settle and, as the Shakers died off, the town developed into a prominent black community.

Unfortunately, such a rich history hasn't prevented present-day Epiphany from becoming the embodiment of municipal turmoil. Its neglected historic buildings are crumbling; its real estate values are plummeting; its merchants are relocating; and its corrupt politicians are squabbling over who's to blame.

Making matters worse, new construction has been halted in a drained tidal marsh when seemingly ancient artifacts are uncovered there. After one of Kirsten Eriksson's friends becomes involved, amateur historian Jeffrey Devereaux is asked to make an inspection of the site. But the political climate and an ensuing murder nearly obliterate his conclusion that the artifacts may actually pre-date Epiphany's founding by centuries--a turn of events which brings his affiliation with Hammond Castle Museum very much into play.

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