Spooky! Mystery of the haunted castle that turned to dust
Collapse leaves £50million hotel project in chaos
IT IS a breathtaking example of Victorian gothic architecture and said to be haunted after once serving as a psychiatric hospital.
But historic Birkwood Castle has partially collapsed amid plans to turn it into a luxury hotel.
The castle, built in 1860 near Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire, was being transformed in a multi-million pound renovation.
However, a sudden structural failure saw part of its walls collapse with such force that some people in the area reported hearing an explosion.
Local councillor Alex McInnes said the building had been neglected for a number of years.
He added: ‘ The west wing collapsed a couple of weeks ago.
‘The council and the owners are surveying the full damage and are picking through the rubble to ascertain what happened.
‘Birkwood castle has been hugely neglected by the last two or three owners since the late 1990s and has collapsed because no one can afford to maintain it. There’s been great ideas and plans but no real investment.’
The estate originally belonged to the MacKirdy family and the castle was used as a private residence until it was donated to the local authority in 1923.
The B- l i sted building was boarded up in 2002 and has been lying empty since.
Property tycoons Chris Naylor and Jo Lloyd announced plans last year to bring it back to life as part of a £50million project.
The developers had hoped to finish work next year. They were ai ming f or f our- s t ar certification with plans to host weddings, conferences and other events. There were also plans for a housing development in the grounds.
Michael McGlynn, head of planning and building standards services at South Lanarkshire Council said: ‘ Buildings Standards surveyors were called out on July 21 following reports of the collapse of one of the wings.
‘An initial inspection showed that the building was structurally stable and the site was secured to prevent public access. The council has been liaising with the owner to determine what led to the recent incident and ensure the structural integrity of the rest of the building.
‘Discussions will also take place about the future of the building including the reinstatement of the area that has collapsed.
‘The council has also been in contact with Historic Scotland and their advice and guidance will be drawn upon in terms of developing a solution.’
Owners Envestco Ltd were yesterday unavailable for comment.