Located in the beautiful town of Marblehead, Herreshoff Castle is a hidden Gothic structure embellishing the town. Inspired by Erik the Red’s Viking property located in Greenland, Waldo Ballard built the castle in 1920 and it was later sold to Francis Herreshoff in 1945.
The castle’s external facades are made of stone walls covered by climbing plants, it also features Gothic arched windows, wooden doors and several turrets. It was formerly known as Brattahlid castle but later renamed to honor its owner’s last name.
Francis Herreshoff, a Connecticut native grew up in the castle and was destined to run the family real estate; he chose, instead, to devote himself to the boatyard industry and later on opening a well-known business in Marblehead. However, he is highly associated to the unique Gothic Castle in the town.
In 1990, the Castle was sold to Michael Rubino who made some renovations and the two-story castle carriage house was converted to a bed and breakfast with amenities such as a medieval garden, a coat of arms, a set of armor, a chimney, carousel horses and medieval type furniture that clearly creates a charming and fanciful environment.
Legend tells that there is a secret stairway and a Dungeon underneath the property, but there is not any concise proof. It is believed that Waldo Ballard finance the castle construction with treasure hidden in the basement ground by merchants from the previous century.
There is not any known specific reason why Ballard decided to undertake this project; however, to visitor’s delight a hidden medieval gem can be found to enjoy in a town full of colonial homes with roots on fishing and yachting. The castle specific location is in Crocker Park Lane overlooking the beautiful harbor providing an additional dramatic ambiance to further enhance visitors’ experience.
Gallery:
