Bucket List: Haunted Castle
Malaysia, Perak, Batu Gajah
This previous post in this travelogue was first published on 13 February 2016. The trip was made earlier in the same month before the article's published date on this blog. Read on for a brief history of this supposedly haunted abandoned castle located in the midst of lush palm tree plantations.
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Despite the title, there is nothing really supernatural about this article. But the title is neither a tease nor click bait. There are indeed stories and rumours of ghostly apparitions being observed in and around this castle! As are often the cases in stories of most haunted castle / mansions, tales of the supernatural are typically intertwined with actual historical events and people.
View of Kellie's Castle as seen through the camera lens of my iPhone 6s Plus as I circled the castle in an anticlockwise direction, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Kellie's Castle (or the ruins of what remains) is located in Perak State of Malaysia. Built by a Scotsman, William Kellie Smith in the early 20th century of colonial Malaya, this uncompleted castle still stands today; a ghostly reminder of its uncompleted state and the enigma that surrounded its original owner, nearly 100 years from its conception and initial construction by craftsmen and builders from Madras, India.
Originally located within lush jungle but now standing among Palm Tree Plantations, Kellie's Castle has today become a tourist attraction, both for local Malaysians as well as foreigners like myself. The Castle itself is flanked on 3 sides by the Sungai Raya (Sungai means River in the Malay Language). This river in turns flow into the famous Kinta River that passes through Ipoh, the administrative capital of Perak.
Kelli's Castle stands in the background, this picture shows the natural encirclement of the castle by Sungai Raya, much like the mort that surround traditional English and Scottish castles of old, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Sungai Raya flows around Kellie's Caslte and eventually feed its water into the Kinta River, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Long before I first visited this place, I have heard about it from my Malaysian friends who described how as young boys and girls growing up in Ipoh in the early 80s, they had visited the then dilapidated castle as some kind of adventure trips after their schooling hours. Reports of haunting and ghostly sightings of apparitions (apparently of the Scotsman, his wife and even his daughter) were reportedly seen by locals and visitors alike. The supernatural twist to the stories of the old abandoned castle apparently provided more exciting twists and added charm for the kids of yesteryears.
Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
In my recent trip to Ipoh to spend the Chinese New Year holidays in February 2016, I convinced my friends in Ipoh to drive me to this almost mythical place. As our car pulled into the grounds of Kellie's Castle, the hordes of visitors immediately dispel any notion of hauntings. If anything, the ground is more haunted by human visitors rather than visitors of the supernatural world. ;-)
Entry fee for each visitor is MYR 10 (about USD$2.41 or SGD$3.37, based on the prevailing exchange rates during my visit) for foreigners and MYR 5 for local Malaysians. Personally, I find this fee to be reasonably priced.
Within the grounds of the castle, visitors are free to roam, free and easy style. Signs in each area/room shared bits of information about the castle, including information on the locations within the castle where ghostly apparitions had been previously sighted! ;-P
Interesting information about the castle includes the fact that had everything about its construction went to plan, it would have been the first building to house an elevator in Malaya. However, history has shown that this was not to be due to the unfortunate demise of Mr Smith in Portugal in 1926 from an illness. Today, an empty lift shaft all the way from the ground floor to the 4th storey of the castle is testament to this fact.
Sideview of Kellie's Castle, the empty Elevator Shaft is the second column from the left, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Other interesting facts are that parts of the building were plastered together using paste made from a variety of materials, including duck egg white. This is similar to the construction method used in the 12th century for Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
There is also an underground tunnel that purportedly connects the castle to a nearby Hindu Temple. However, this tunnel has now been sealed by the Authorities for safety reasons. Mr Smith's concerns about his family's safety are evident from the various "escape routes" that led from within the various rooms in the castle to the external grounds.
The architecture of the castle is unique to Malaya in that it is modelled after the Indian architectural designs of its time, with a mixed of Scottish and also Moorish architectural styles thrown in, creating a unique castle unlike any in the world.
Architectural style of Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
I spent about 2 hours walking and exploring the grounds of the castle and its various rooms. Besides the rooms for Mr Smith's family and the guest rooms, there is also a laundry room to store bed linens in a dry environment; which according to one of the signboards in the room, was a common feature of Victorian-era houses.
View of one of the rooms in Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
External view of the walls of Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
The castle has an external wing which was the Bath area. Today, only the facade of this wing and a few other structures remain. I am not sure if this part of the castle was only constructed to this stage or if the other parts had been built but had fallen into so much disrepair due to the ravages of time that they no longer stand today.
Wing housing the Bath area, Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of the Wing housing the Bath area from the second floor corridor of the castle, Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of the Wing housing the Bath area from the gardens of the castle, Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of the facade of the Bath area, Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of the Wing housing the Bath area from the rooftop courtyard of the castle, Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Climbing to the top of the castle, one can find a rooftop courtyard which was meant for entertaining guests. This area also provides a panoramic view of the surrounding areas which were once jungle terrain but are now Palm Tree Plantations.
Panoramic view of the castle ground from the rooftop courtyard of Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of the surrounding Palm Tree Plantation that neighbours Kellie's Castle today , Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
View of Kellie's Castle as seen through the camera lens of my iPhone 6s Plus as I circled the castle in an anticlockwise direction, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
Kellie's Castle, as seen from the entrance to its ground, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016)
For those who likes history and has an appreciation for architecture, a visit to Kellie's Castle will be an enriching experience.
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