| Germany is known for its majestic fairytale castles | | | | these tunnels connects to the Hindu temple some |
| while France has more châteaux than any country | | | | distance away from the main house. |
| could ever reasonably need. Comparatively, Malaysia | | | | On the second floor, Smith planned to build an indoor |
| lags some way behind. | | | | tennis court – an ambitious project even by |
| However, there is one, standing alone at the top of a | | | | today’s standards. On the highest floor, there is a |
| little hill, overlooking the Kinta River, around 20 minutes | | | | rooftop courtyard for parties. This castle was to be |
| away from Ipoh. | | | | the hub for entertaining wealthy colonial planters who |
| Named Kellie’s Castle the huge home is well worth | | | | had settled in Malaya and was so unique that it was |
| a visit. – both for its history and for curiosity’s | | | | even mentioned in the London Financier newspaper on |
| sake. It’s also a fascinating insight into one | | | | 15 September 1911. |
| man’s dream, the man after whom the folly is | | | | In the end, Kellas House, later known as Kellie’s |
| named… | | | | Castle or even Kellie’s Folly to some, was never |
| William Kellie Smith was from the village of Kellas in | | | | completed. William Kellie Smith himself died of |
| Scotland. In 1890, at the age of 20, he arrived in the | | | | pneumonia during a short trip to Portugal in 1926, a trip |
| then undeveloped Malaya where, he met an estate | | | | he was making to collect his prized elevator from the |
| owner called Alma Baker, who had won concessions | | | | manufacturer. His heartbroken wife decided to pack |
| from the state government to clear 360 hectares of | | | | up and return home to Scotland selling the estate and |
| forests in Perak. | | | | Kellie’s Castle to a British company called Harrisons |
| With the substantial profits made from his business | | | | and Crosfield. |
| venture with Alma Baker, William started planting | | | | Today, as you approach the castle, you can’t help |
| rubber trees and dabbled in the tin mining industry. In | | | | but notice the Victorian style influence, such as the red |
| time, he became the owner of Kinta Kellas Estate and | | | | brick walls rising five storeys high. It is no wonder that |
| the Kinta Kellas Tin Dredging Company. | | | | the castle was supposed to come with a lift. |
| Now with his fortune made, he returned home to | | | | Walking the halls I was fascinated to see how William |
| marry his Scottish sweetheart, Agnes, and brought her | | | | had integrated the different types of architectural |
| over to Malaysia in 1903. The following year, the couple | | | | design. There’s definitely European influences, such |
| was blessed with a daughter whom they named | | | | as large linen storage room, a spacious wine cellar, the |
| Helen. | | | | square bedrooms and the tennis court! Then, a world |
| As pleased as he was, William Smith desperately | | | | away from Europe, you have lovely window frames in |
| wanted a son and heir to take over his empire in the | | | | Moorish designs which sit alongside local Islamic |
| Malay Isles. It was a dream that would take until 1915 | | | | touches. |
| to realise, when Agnes gave birth to baby Anthony. | | | | The other thing that strikes you is the space. At 1,200 |
| To celebrate Anthony’s birth, William decided to | | | | sq ft, William’s master bedroom is bigger than most |
| expand on his mansion – but a simple extension | | | | average apartments nowadays, but security was |
| wasn’t quite what he had in mind. Instead, William | | | | obviously a worry – William included an escape |
| started planning for a huge castle which he intended to | | | | route that leads out to his beautiful garden. |
| call Kellas House, after his hometown in Scotland. | | | | It’s unusual that a man who took the idea of his |
| Because of his fascination with the Hindu religion and | | | | home being his castle right to the very limit wouldn’t |
| Indian culture, William’s aim was for the house to | | | | feel entirely secure there. Looking at the structure as |
| share similar architecture to those of Madras, with all | | | | an outsider I felt the castle looked just as it should – |
| its bricks and tiles imported from India. He even | | | | solid and secure enough to protect the people inside. |
| employed a big group of Indian labourers to keep the | | | | There aren’t even any glass windows on the |
| Kellas House authentically Indian. | | | | ground floor, instead William designed small holes at the |
| But it was not only the incredible cost of importing | | | | top of the walls to create some natural ventilation. |
| material and labourers from abroad that made the | | | | I’d love to be able to ask him what it was he |
| house so fascinating to locals and travellers alike – it | | | | feared. Maybe one day I will – it’s said that |
| was the sheer scale of William’s ambition. For | | | | William haunts the castle to this day, and I certainly |
| example, his was to be the first building in Malaya to | | | | intend to go back. Maybe we’ll bump into each |
| have an elevator. There were also two tunnels | | | | other. |
| designed to run under the river nearby – one of | | | | |