|
Kellie's
Castle was meant to be a home away from home for
Scottish Planter, William Kellie Smith in the 20th
century. Being far away from home, Kellie desired his
new residence to be reminiscent of his home back in
Scotland. The castle is perched on top of a hill in what
used to be a rubber estate.
William
Kellie Smith was an interesting man who was popular with
his South Indian workers. Kind at heart, he erected a
Hindu shrine for his workers on the castle premises. As
a token of appreciation, his workers erected a statue of
Kellie complete with a white suit and hat.
Construction of this unique castle began in 1915.
However, it came to an abrupt halt with Kellie's sudden
death in 1926. The solitary castle, looks almost surreal
in these wild plantations of Perak, it projects a strong
personality and an aura of mystery.
Recently,
efforts have been made by the Perak State Government to
rescue this magnificent structure from the encroaching
foliage. Besides being haunted, the castle is believed
to have hidden rooms and secret underground tunnels. The road
that leads to Kellie's Castle follows the contours of
the land in a dizzying, maze-like fashion, adding to the
mystery and romance of the place.
|
