A recluse’s castle that now hosts thousands of visitors
The Lord Egerton Castle in Njoro, Nakuru County. The castle was built in 1938 by Lord Maurice Egerton Tatton, the fourth and last Baron Egerton of Tatton, for a woman to whom he wished to become engaged to. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The castle was built in 1938 by Lord Maurice Egerton Tatton, the fourth and last Baron Egerton of Tatton, for a woman to whom he wished to become engaged to.
- Lord Egerton is said to have banned women from ever setting foot on the grounds of the castle, even placing signs that they risked being shot if they intruded.
Tucked away from the town’s bustling streets, Nakuru’s legendary Lord Egerton Castle is a place that continually seduces visitors from all over the globe.
The magnificent 53-room castle, commonly referred to as “the place where the suitor missed the target” is on Ngata Farm, 15km, off the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
It is managed by Egerton University.
The first sight of the legendary castle of love-turned-sour is breathtaking, its architectural structures of a colonial era portraying wealth and extravagance.
The castle was built in 1938 by Lord Maurice Egerton Tatton, the fourth and last Baron Egerton of Tatton, for a woman to whom he wished to become engaged to.
As the story goes, she refused to marry him twice, even after building her the monumental castle on a 100-acre piece of land.
She reportedly described it as a museum, which broke Egerton’s heart and made him hate women for the rest of his life.
Lord Egerton is said to have banned women from ever setting foot on the grounds of the castle, even placing signs that they risked being shot if they intruded.
Lord Egerton lived a lonely life in the castle for a short four years before he died of chest complications in 1954.
A TOURIST ATTRACTION
The legacy he left, the castle, has ironically attracted both local and foreign tourists, with especially lovers finding the spot a favourite place to tie the knot.
The beautiful flower gardens and well-trimmed lawns provide a perfect setting for memorable events.
The grounds, which were opened to the public in 2005, are sought-after for garden weddings, corporate functions, picnics, cocktails and office parties.
Adults pay Sh150, while children are charged between Sh50 and Sh75 to tour the 53 rooms, which are numbered to ensure visitors do not get lost.
One is a classic ballroom, currently hosting a broken piano portraying Egerton’s architectural prowess.
The stairway and floor are made of oak that is said to have been imported from Britain, while the roof is beautifully designed in zinc tiles.
The mansion is fully furnished with children’s rooms, a master bedroom and numerous other rooms.
The site is also home to Llamas, tortoises and ancient machinery.
