Gloucester’s Seaside Castle - Hammond Castle

Historic Sites

May 12

In 1926, John Hays Hammond, Jr., retained the architectural firm of Allen & Colleens to create his castle which was completed in 1929 on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Hammond was a scientist, inventor and a pioneer in the study of remote control and held the largest number of patents, only second to Thomas Edison. Hammond’s interest in art and culture are evident in the castle interior. Widely traveled and exposed to old European art and architecture at an early age, he was accurately described as a man of the future, who chose to live in the past. Hammond was inspired by his friend Isabella Stewart Gardner’s lush oasis at Fenway Court, but he wanted his own version with the 30,000-gallon pool, dyed bright green to disguise the 9-footh depth. He would tell guests it was only a few feet deep and then freak them out when he would drive in. The courtyard also had a weather feature which allow Hammond to create a heavy downpour, fog, moonlight, and sunlight. Hammond’s project came to the attention of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. who had purchased a large collection of medieval artifacts in 1925, and was so inspired that he eventually incorporated pieces into what is known today as The Cloisters, an extension of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The castle has been a museum since 1930, and today it operates as the Hammond Castle Museum, displaying Hammond’s collections of artifacts and exhibits on his life and inventions.

Here is what caught my eye. I hope you enjoy!

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Beautiful view from the rear of Hammond Castle

This section of the house reflects 15th Century French Chateau architectural style.

These are arches seen at the entrance to the castle

Another view of the arches at the castle entrance.

The castle entrance with drawbridge

This section of the house reflects the architectural style of a 12th Century Gothic Cathedral.

This section of the house was modeled after a Scottish 12th Century castle.

This Sun Room is brighter and less gothic than other rooms and is the work of Mrs. Hammond.

The Great Hall is meant to resemble a centuries-old cathedral.

The Great Hall was the Hammond family living room.

A view of the piano in the Great Hall, with stairs in the background leading to the Courtyard

The gigantic 8,400 pipe organ in the Great Hall was the centerpiece of entertaining at the castle, even though Hammond could not play it. The organ, among the largest pipe organs in the world, incorporated many features of Hammond’s 19 patents for pipe organ technology.

The Great Hall looking into the Sun Room

The Great Hall with stairs leading to the Sun Room.

Stairway to Courtyard

Church-like facade entry from the Courtyard to the Great Hall

The Courtyard is covered, so it includes tropical plantings, a pool, and a weather control that could create fog or even a tropical downpour.

The Courtyard facades were from a Bakers Shop, Wine Merchant and Meat Market in a village in France, shipped by boat and installed here.

Many of the items in the castle have been brought back from all over the world.

The Courtyard had a lighting system that could create daylight at night, as well as lightning and thunder when he was in the mood for stormy weather.

This is one of the very rare claviharps in the round Library.

The Round Library had a domed whispering ceiling so Mr. Hammond could hear what guest in the room were saying about him.

An entrance to the spiral stairway

The hallway overlooking the Courtyard

The Gothic Guest Room

A door knocker

The dining room included an Italian floor and French walls. The Spanish ceiling was a wedding present from William Randolph Hearst, and the dining room table was carved from a single tree in Germany.