Kellie’s Castle, Batu Gajah- The Ruins Of Kellie's Dream
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
This unfinished castle was built by a Scottish named William Kellie Smith as a Taj Mahal of sorts for his wife Agnes. Unfortunately Smith died of pneumonia while travelling in Lisbon, Portugal before the castle could be completed.
Part of the castle's uniqueness include secret tunnels, an unfinished indoor tennis court and a bucket lift structure. Smith apparently had brought in labourers from India to build this castle and the descendants of these labourers are still said to be living in this area. Although architecturally, the castle was probably way ahead of its time, the element that I found most profound was the love Smith had for his family.
Behind the castle is the Kellas House which was where the Smiths originally lived before the castle was built. Smith originally had rubber plantation in his estate but these are gone. Instead, now you can only see a small plot of sugar cane near the castle and palm oil plantations in the surrounding area.
It is rich in history and sufficiently documented to explain the history and person behind the castle but unfortunately it was not completed. But the sheer experience and sight of this castle is simply amazing.
No castle is complete without a haunting or two and Kellie's castle is no stranger to this phenomenon. There are claims of Smith's ghost being sighted wandering in the corridors and also of a little girl believed to be his daughter Helen. You will get to smell some unique scent.
It's about half an hour drive from Ipoh city and certainly worth the journey! The venue requires a bit of walking and climbing (stairs), so do wear good shoes! There's an entrance fee (RM5 for Malaysian adults, if not mistaken).
The ruins are impressive and very instagrammable - there are history boards with a brief background history of the building/rooms. The views from the top are simply breathtaking, so bring cameras or binoculars if you wish!
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