Kellie's Castle Trip...

Introduction

Kellie’s Castle is a castle built by William Kellie Smith, a wealthy Scottish planter which owned the Kinta Kellas Rubber Estate in the early of 19th century. This castle amidst the lush greenery stands proud of the ruins of the never completed dream of William.

Idea / Concept

The idea that William Kellie Smith built his mansion was mainly because of two reasons. The first reason was because of her wife. In year 1903, William has brought her wife, Agne back to Malaya. After the marriage of William and Agnes, Helen had conceived the following year. Agne has complained the uncomfortable of their brick and wooden house that rises up 38°c in the evening. Thus, William decided to build a castle with thick brick wall and nice courtyard that would reduce the amount of heat inside. Thus, a castle with the symbol of love is constructed. However, after the birth of his second children, Anthony, which he has a son to hand over his properties and estates, he decided to expand his previous castle to Kellie’s Castle as to be seen nowadays.

Besides that, due to the documentation from Discovery Channel, William was actually facing financial problem before marrying his wife, and there would be a great fund of three hundred thousand pounds from her family in 1905. So the second reason of William built the mansion was to show his pride and power. However, he realized that the money would only be given in 1908. Thus, it was the poorest period till 1908. In 1908, he decided to build a big castle to prove to the government officer that he was actually got the money. And through the opening roof design of the castle, William feels proud of showing his wealth rubber estates to the government officer during the roof party.

The mansion was extremely imposed and it was modelled on Moorish styled Government Federal Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur. And it has become well know throughout the Perak as being the most prestigious house of the state. Besides that, the Kellie’s house was surrounded by landscaped gardens, with flower bed, lawns, lake and a great sweeping drive bordered by royal palms.

Others than the castle, The architecture of the temple is a curious mix of Moorish, Greco-Roman and Indian design. Encapsulated forever in a moment in time is the odd, misplaced figurine of Kellie in his planter's suit and topee among the sixty deities on the temple roof.

Restoration of Kellie's Castle

William Kellie Smith himself was died of pneumonia during a short trip to Portugal in 1926. Prevent of staying in the castle that make Agne think of William, the heartbroken wife decided to pack up and return home to Scotland and selling the William’s properties; the estates and Kellie's Castle to a British company called Harrisons and Crosfield.

Kellie's incomplete castle was left to the elements to deteriorate. However, despite more than eighty years of vandalism and neglect until the Department of Museum and Antiquities took action to restore it in year 2000.

Personally thinking, the reason of restoring the mansion to it original state is to maintain the historical love story of William and Agne and recreate another tourism attraction in Ipoh, Perak.However, it was restored to the condition it was in when work stopped, so that it looks abandoned and incomplete, as it awaiting its mater to return and finish the job. Kellie’s Castle was a memorable and valuable place of for the descendants of the Indian laborers brought over to Malaya to work on the mansion still alive nearby even now. In addition, the Kellie’s Castle has used as a setting in the 1999 Indian film, Anna and the King. Through the film, we able to realize that the important of the love story and the memorable history of this castle.

Beautiful of Kellie’s Castle


The memorable of a castle lying on a small hill.


The symbol of old age of the castle.


The fine and repetition of brickwork.


The space for first elevator (technology) in Malaysia.


The open roof that join the window of the room for better ventilation and sunlight.

Imagine Space...


Current courtyard space surround by unfinished structure.


A complete version of courtyard space surround by double stories mansonry brickwork.

Feelings of the Castle...

Through the trips, I was first seen Kellie’s Castle when I was still in the bus. It was a far slight that have stock me that Kellie’s Castle was a building that built about 100 years ago. Due to the technology in Malaya by that time, to build a Castle, it needs to take up plenty of years and cost a large amount of money. By the time I reach and when I’m standing in front of the castle, I can sense the mess and durability of the building, by the structure and texture of it. The combination of brick and concrete work has show the heaviness and stability of the building. When I’m walking in the corridor, touching the texture of the brick work, I can feel the fine and effort of the workers of laying the brick. Besides that, the uses of marble in the wine cellar have make me felt the coldness in the room, even when it’s hot in the weather. Last but not least, when I’m standing in the open roof top, I can smell the freshness of the air from the surrounding of landscape garden.