Lord Egerton Castle: A fairytale gone wrong
- Faith Barorot
- Aug 8, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 25, 2019
The Lord Egerton Castle that boasts of its magnificent architecture and beautiful scenery began with a one-sided love story and has ironically developed into a popular wedding location. Only Located a mere 14 kilometres from Nakuru, the Lord Egerton Castle is a must visit if you're planning a trip to Nakuru!
On my visit to the castle, I was met with Victor, a guide that offers a house tour while offering bits of its history. Lord Egerton(the sole heir to the royal family of Lord Barons of Egerton) settled in Kenya in the early 1930's, motivated by his passion for hunting, photography and agriculture. He fell in love with an Austrian woman, and put all his efforts ad resources into building castle that would convince her to relocate to Kenya.The unnamed woman rejected the castle however, never stepping into the castle and labelling it a ‘stable’.
The castle was fully furnished with a children’s quarter, his future wife’s quarter, his own quarter (apparently in those days a husband and wife didn’t share the same room unless the lady was invited by the husband). The castle is also equipped with a ballroom with an enormous electric organ, a wine cellar and a dark chamber for developing photos.
After the rejection from the woman of his dreams, Lord Egerton banned women from the vicinity and dedicated his life to his passions, resulting in the establishment of Egerton University. Unfortunately, he had no successor, which is why most of his assets were looted after his death and the government of Kenya runs the university and castle.
The irony however is that the venue is now popular for wedding proposals and weddings. So, wherever you are Lord Egerton, even though your efforts were in vain in your own life, they are a blessing other people’s love.
At Kshs. 150/= (For Kenyans) and 1200/=(for Non-Residents) you get to tour the magnificent castle, listen to the history behind its construction, a great picnic site, a maze and a selfie with a lama!(they stink but they’re cute!)
Now you know I cant spill all the tea. If you're looking for a new adventure in Nakuru, be sure to add this to your itinerary and let the tour guide give you all the details about the history of the castle!
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