When you think of New England, castles are not the first attraction that comes to mind. New England has a plethora of beautiful castles to visit. Below are the ones that my family and I have visited over the last couple years.
Bancroft Castle: Located on Lowell Road in Groton, Massachusetts is the trailhead to Bancroft Castle. You can also access another trail from Gibbett Hill Restaurant off the same road. There is about a quarter of a mile hike up a hill to get to this castle. Bancroft Castle was built by a General in the early 1900’s. Unfortunately he ran out of money before finishing the property. It was sold to a local doctor who used it as a sanatarium. After the sanatarium closed, the castle was turned into a hunting club before it burned in 1932. This is a popular place to take pictures.
Bancroft Tower: Not technically a castle, but has castle like features. Located on Bancroft Tower Rd in Worcester, Massachusetts is this castle like tower. When we visited we could not go inside Bancroft Tower, but found enjoyment in walking around the tower and taking in its beauty and structure. There are hiking trails near the tower, which we did not explore.
Castle in the Clouds: Located in Moultonborough, New Hampshire is a popular tourist attraction in the Lakes Region, we have visited a few times, but it has been several years. Even though it has been a while since we visited, I still felt it needed to make this list. With a mansion to tour, several hiking trails, picnic areas and beautiful views it lives up to its name of being a Castle in the Clouds.
Gillette Castle: Located in East Haddam, Connecticut is this historic state park which is home to a medieval fortress owned by actor William Gillette known for his role as Sherlock Holmes. This property has picnic areas, hiking trails, beautiful views and the main focal point being Gillette Castle. My favorite part of the castle was the conservancy.
Hammond Castle: Located in Gloucester, Massachusetts is Hammond Castle. This castle has a lot of history, beautiful ocean views, a small garden and my favorite, an indoor atrium. You can do a self tour or a guided tour. Advance tickets purchases are strongly encouraged.
Ice Castles of New Hampshire: Located in Woodstock, New Hampshire is the ice castles. These can be difficult to catch as the weather has to be cold enough for them to be made. If you are able to catch them they are beautiful with the various formations and lights at night. They are always adding more activities for families.
Madame Sheri’s Castle Ruins: Located on Gulf Road in Chesterfield, New Hampshire is the ruins of Madame Sherri’s Castle, located in Madame Sherri’s Forest. The ruins are located on a short walk from the parking lot. Unfortunately part of the ruins have collapsed over the last couple years. The history of the area is still worth the visit.
Newport Mansions: Not technically castles, but still worth the visit if you are in Newport, Rhode Island. We visited The Breakers and the Elm’s for their Christmas Season and it was so worth the visit. The mansion was beautifully decorated for the holiday season and gave off castle like vibes.
Winnekenni Castle: Located in Haverhill, Massachusetts is Winnekenni Castle and Park. There are several weddings and events held here. The day we visited we mostly explored the hiking trails around the castle and the grounds. We were not able to go inside and I could not find if it is ever open to the public.
There are a few other New England Castles out there to explore and I will add them to this list as we visit them. Overall, I am happy with the choices of castles to visit we have in New England. Do you have a favorite New England Castle?
