Island Life Magazine Ltd December/January 2018 | Page 56

Local history
Norris Castle:
Echoes of old glory
It was the end of an era when these photos of Norris Castle
were taken. All the possessions were being sorted out before
the estate went under the hammer, writes Jo Macaulay.
The castle had a guide price of just
£1m, although it finally sold for
£4.7m. The winning bid was made by
Uavend, who intend to convert it into
a prestigious wedding venue with 16
luxury rooms, 110 bedrooms, spa and
conference facilities.
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When these photos were taken the
castle looked rather sad, but there
were echoes of its former glory when
parties lit the castle windows and the
inhabitants danced until dawn. It is
said that when the castle was originally
built in 1799 it was for the sole purpose
of entertaining, rather than as a
fortification.
Through the huge oak door the wide
hallway stretched through the castle to
a balcony that overlooks the overgrown
grounds. Once upon a time a road
stretched along Norris’s seashore from