# Searles Castle

- **Country:** the United States
- **Coordinates:** 42.812222, -71.265833
- **Location Text:** Windham, New Hampshire, built 1905–15 for Edward Francis Searles (see entry above). The stone Tudor Revival mansion was designed by Henry Vaughan, with influences derived from the manor at Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire, England. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Searles Castle is a historic landmark situated on Searles Road in Windham, New Hampshire. Commissioned by Edward Francis Searles and designed by architect Henry Vaughan, the structure was built between 1905 and 1915 at a cost of approximately $1.25 million. Constructed from cut granite, fieldstone, and dark red sandstone sourced from Searles' own quarries, the castle sits atop a 175-acre estate. Although originally intended as a one-quarter scale replica of the medieval Tudor manor of Stanton Harcourt in England, the final design bears little resemblance to the original structure because most of the English manor had been demolished centuries prior. The interior features grand spaces including a music room, library, grand stairway, and multiple guest suites.

The castle possesses a rich history of ownership following Searles' death in 1920. After passing through several private hands, it was sold to the Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy in 1952. The order utilized the building as a novitiate before hosting Castle Junior College from 1962 until the mid-1980s. Following a period of closure due to water damage and necessary roof replacements, the interior was refurbished starting in 1991 through a Decorators' Showcase and benefactor contributions. Since then, the Sisters of Mercy have managed the site to host social, cultural, religious, and business events, including weddings in the courtyard, with proceeds supporting their charitable programs.

In February 2019, the property was sold along with surrounding lands to a pharmaceutical company owner from California. Despite changes in ownership and various challenges regarding maintenance over the decades, Searles Castle remains a significant architectural folly in the United States. Its unique blend of American resources and attempted European medieval styling, combined with its varied use as a private residence, educational institution, and event venue, marks it as a distinctive piece of New Hampshire heritage.

![Photo of Searles Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Searles_Castle_Gate.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searles_Castle_(New_Hampshire) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)