Augill History
Augill Castle was reputedly built, between 1837 and 1841, by the older of two brothers who fell out with his sibling and resolved to build something big on high ground overlooking his family home. His legacy was a castle built and decorated in a neo-gothic style thought to have been modelled on nearby, much larger, Lowther Castle near Penrith
Much of the stone used was reclaimed from derelict buildings, barns and stone walls locally. The original part of the castle, bounded by four corner turrets, is random rubble construction, some believed to have come from Brough Castle
He must have enjoyed his new home and is known to have sat in state on a dias in the main hall receiving his guests who would join him for banquets in the dining hall
Such a flamboyant house has had its share of colourful incumbents, not least Doctor Abercrombie, surgeon to Queen Victoria, and allegedly something to do with the Jack the Ripper murder investigation, who lived here in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s
Indeed, there are reports that Queen Victoria once stayed at Augill on her way to Balmoral during this time with a companion. Little more is known but much may be surmised. If true, she most likely slept in the master bedroom, now known as Pendragon
Until 1927, a single storey library wing stood on the site of the present Music Room. The library was lit by gas which one evening blew up with such force that a brass bell was flung three fields to the East. The mantlepiece in the Dining Room still bears the crack caused by the explosion. The present two storey East Wing, with Appleby & Middlesmoor bedrooms was built in its place
Between the wars older locals remember the house in its former heyday in the hands of Major Ingham and his family, with a full complement of servants & gardeners
During the second world war the house was occupied briefly by French Canadian airmen as a planning centre for the D-Day landings. After this the estate fell into disrepair for most of the 1940’s and 50’s. One of our neighbours remembers exploring the empty castle as a child when the dining room was being used as a chicken house
During the 1960’s the house once again came to life and is widely remembered for the lively parties hosted here on Saturday nights – early raves perhaps!
In the 1970’s Augill was owned by an antiques dealer who, although he had a reputation as something of a rogue, is thought to have been responsible for installing the Tudor panelling in the Hall
It was in the late 1980’s that the castle suffered most at the hands of unsympathetic developers who attempted to divide the castle into flats but later abandoned it and left it empty for the several years before we found it. Their two lasting legacies were the roof and the central heating
