This lavish Ontario castle transports you back in time to the Victorian era

Ever wanted to travel back in time? What if we told you that you can, but not in the way you’re probably thinking. Castle Kilbride is a grand estate in Ontario that has been completely restored to its former glory. And it’s now a museum that can be explored.

It’s about two hours away from Toronto, just west of Kitchener.

According to its website, Castle Kilbride is a grand Victorian home that was built in 1877.

It was built for a man by the name of James Livingston, who was a flax industrialist, politician, and entrepreneur.

It was named after Livingston’s birthplace in East Kilbride, Scotland and designed in the Italianate style of architecture, and sported a belvedere lookout.

The home’s exterior is almost as impressive as the interior, however, and it has been furnished to showcase its brilliance as the Victorian palace it used to be.

The castle is most famous for its magnificent Trompe l’oeil ceiling and wall murals, which “provide an optical illusion of depth,” says the website.

The Livingston family lived in the home for several generations, until they finally sold it in the late 1980s, along with the furniture.

The estate began to deteriorate after that, to the disappointment of the local township.

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But, with the help of community fundraising as well as federal, provincial, and municipal financial aid, the Township of Wilmot bought the property and began an extensive conservation and restoration initiative.

“In 1993/94 an intensive interior and exterior conservation project commenced. The goal was to restore the Castle to her former glory,” shares the site.

“The exterior woodwork was in complete disrepair. Paint was carefully removed from the exterior to expose the original yellow brick. From this, a beautiful colour palette was chosen to highlight the decorative wooden features.”

As for paintings, the most significant ones were in moderate condition and required meticulous cleaning to remove decades of soot and only minor conservation work.

“The paintings that are located in the library and hallway date back to 1878. Some smaller rooms had several layers of wallpaper removed to reveal the most original surface underneath,” shares the site.

And to continue ensuring that the paintings are in tip-top shape, routine conservation work is performed periodically. Per the site, the latest work occurred in 2024.

This National Historic Site welcomes visitors to stop by and observe the many original artifacts, and attend tours, workshops, and events throughout the year.

If you’re fascinated by history, then this authentic Victorian castle is a memorable excursion you won’t regret.

Get your tickets for this historical experience.

Castle Kilbride

When: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 3 PM
Where: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden, Township of Wilmot
Cost: $9.50 Adults, $8.25 Seniors, Family $26 (2 adults, up to 3 children)

Karen Doradea

Senior Staff Writer, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.

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