Dundurn Castles build was completed after 3 years in 1835 for Sir Allan Napier MacNab (1798-1862) which costed approximately $175 000. The castle was designed by Robert Charles Wetherell and is 18,000sqft in size boasting 40 different rooms and was considered one of the grandest mansions in all of Canada (Meredith, 2022). Dundurn castle which is located in the down town Hamilton area at 610 York Boulevard sits on what is now known as Dundurn Park which is available to the public. Dundurn Castle was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1984 because: “it is a rare surviving example of a picturesque estate in Canada exhibiting a remarkable degree of integrity” (Canada’s Historic Places. Government of Canada). Dundurn park offers incredible views of the Hamilton Harbor extending into Lake Ontario, furthermore the park offers walking trails and of course Dundurn Castle, which is free to view the property and the outside of the historic building. Access inside for a tour of Dundurn Castle is available for a fair price for adults of $14.75, it is recommended to purchase tickets online prior. The site can also be rented out for a wedding venue, educational field trips for students and birthday parties. Dundurn castle also offers the lovingly restored Historic Kitchen Garden where costumed staff grow over 200 heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for use in the historic kitchen the Historic Kitchen Garden, open mid-May through mid-October for free self-guided tours, educational programs and pre-booked guided tours (Dundurn National Historic Site, 2023).

Work Cited:

Mark, Meredith. (2022). Dundurn Castle. House Histree. https://househistree.com/houses/dundurn-castle

Canada’s Historic Places. Government of Canada. National Historic Sites Directorate.https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12341&pid=0

Dundurn National Historic Site. (2023). Hamilton Civic Museums. https://www.hamilton.ca/things-do/hamilton-civic-museums/dundurn-national-historic-site