Day Trip

Located near Batu Gajah, which is about a 20-minute drive from Ipoh, this castle was built by Scottish planter William Kellie Smith in the 1910s. But the mansion, which some said was a gift for his wife or a home for his son, was never completed. Smith planned to call the mansion Kellas House, after his hometown in Scotland, but construction was halted after many workers died after contracting a virulent Spanish flu. Smith died of pneumonia during a short trip to Portugal in 1926, which sealed the fate of the mansion. His wife returned to Scotland after selling her husband’s rubber estate and the unfinished mansion to a British plantation company. One interesting aspect of the building is the existence of two tunnels — one of which leads to a Hindu temple nearby.


The architecture of the temple is a curious mix of Moorish, Greco-Roman and Indian design. Smith interested on the Hindu religion and the Indian culture, Smith's plans was for this house to share similar architecture to those of Madras, with all its bricks and tiles imported from India. He even employed a big group of Indian laborers to build his dream house, to keep the building like Indian house.Again the second house featured Islamic architecture with dome shaped windows, 14 rooms and a tall tower with lift and moat around it. The tower was tall enough to capture a panoramic view of Ipoh town. If it had been completed the house would have been the first building in Malaysia that would have had the first imported lift. A large wine cellar was included under the ground floor.


The  Department of Museums and Antiquities took steps to restore the building as a tourism spot and maintain the heritage of the Castle. It telling people about the prototype during that era and the history in the past. Moreover,in 1999, the castle was once used as film setting for Anna and the King. If it attracts international film maker to step foot in the mansion, it will surely worth for a photographing trip.‘Kellie’s Castle’ has been restored to the condition it was when it was abandoned, unfinished and as though it is waiting for its master to return to complete what he left out.


The Mistake of Castle

1 The Empty space, look not fully utilized and looking at the death end as i see it

2  Emergency staircase? i think whenever i'm facing emergency , i think the best way here is rolling on this staircase,instead of step by step into this narrow treads!

3 The ornament wall, for aesthetic ,it is not bad, but for practically, the wall have not function at all, only can put the portraits with the frame! It can put any wardrobe, not any furniture higher than the wall!

4  i think it is a bad idea of having a open view dressing room,what about if Helen changing shirt here? hmm, feeling not really secure, right?

5  Look, i really have nothing to say when i saw this terrible staircase. Why it is so ugly that cover up the staircase like that way???! do they have other choice?and how to clean that obstructed window???

The feeling that i step into this castle is really horrible!! the hot and humid weather on that day is awful! my sweat all over my body, the construction seem not appropriate to the  location. Using a thick wall to obstruct the thermal to ventilate the building is not a good idea. the ventilation holes are not function as i thought. Its not really cool as kampung house as i went. The bad thing is the sealant of the tunnels, the leading towards the hindu temple nearby. Well, the bedroom for Kellie's family are not into privacy, especially the dressing area. Feel mysterious when i stepping on the corridor, the rumors sound to be alive when i look at it. On the 2nd floor, it should be an indoor tennis court, however, it is not done . I did feel sad about Smith, he unable to finish his love gift for his family ,now,it is there trademark for the new generation .