Castles of the Carolina's

10 Magical, Mysterious, and Inspiring Places!

America's Largest Home

Photo from Explore Ashville

1. The Biltmore Estate

Ashville, NC 
Built 1889-95
Currently offers tours 

Built by George Washington Vanderbilt, the Grandson of shipping and railroad magnet Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt. The philanthropist employed many locals during the extensive building. Biltmore Village was built for the crew and eventually house and grounds staff to have homes, a church, and other amenities. When completed Biltmore became the largest private home in the United States.

Click HERE for more about the Vanderbilt family.

Overlook Castle, or Occult Castle?

Photo from Wikipedia 

2. Seeley's Castle

Outside of Ashville, NC
Built in 1912
Currently Privately Owned

The current owners installed security systems, fencing, and gates. After they purchased the estate they discovered it had become a hangout for local teenage trespassers, and in need of not only repair but fortifications to keep out curious teens. Local legend would have you believe this was and still is a cult castle. Home to a secretive religious sect. 

Mansion Murder Mystery

3. Greenville Castle

Greenville, SC 
Built in 1902
Currently Privately Owned

Built for a German baroness now owned by a 30 something Greenville native who started a multi million dollar clothing line for preppy southern frat boy types. In 2016 he shot a man dead on the property, so trespassing is highly discouraged.

Gold Refinery

4. Castle McCulloch

Jamestown, NC
Built in the 1830's, restored in the 1980's
Currently an event venue

For decades the gothic stone ruins sat deteriorating in the woods, occasionally visited by trespassing teenagers or kids playing dungeons and dragons. One of those kids eventually bought and restored the castle which now hosts events ranging from weddings to raves.

Click HERE for more about Castel McCulloch

The Order of Gimghoul and the tales of Peter Dromgoole

Photo from UNC.edu

5. Gimghoul Castle

Chapel Hill, NC
Built in the 1920's
Currently Privately Owned

UNC Chapel Hill has lots of history as our oldest public university, and this castle and its woods are the setting for mysterious tales of a man named Peter Dromgoole who may have murdered his girlfriend there or disappeared himself or was maybe murdered, who really knows but the Carolina couple haunts the area. The castle was home to a secret society of scholars from the graduate school, and apparently there’s a stone that bleeds.

Covid closed Event Venue

6. Barclay Villa

Angier, NC
Built in the 1830's
Currently Privately Owned 

The Barclays family built this amazing home in the 1830s and it’s been beautiful kept and lovingly restored to modern luxury standards. A private residence, the property was offering event rentals but has stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering no refunds for cancellations.

Medieval LARPing Playground 

7. Eastwind Castle

Trenton, SC
Built in 2005
Currently an Event Venue

The only modern structure on the list, this replica castle tower is part of a live action role playing set where you can live out your castle fantasies and save the damsel or slay the dragon! Not exactly a real castle but worth the mention.

Beachside Castle 

8. Atalaya

Huntington Beach, SC
Built in 1931
Currently tours available.

One of my personal favorites, this castle is beside the beach and in the middle of a state park with tons of camping! The structure was built as a southern home for New York sculpture and poet Anna and Archer Huntington during the Great Depression employing many locals.

Church, Fort, Private home, Rentable Paradise

From Sullivan Island's Magazine 

9. Castle Mugdock

Sullivan's Island, SC
Built in 1891
Currently available for monthly rentals

This place has seen it all, it began life as a church only to be commandeered by the military during war time for use as a fort. Eventually it became a private home and now is a bucket list vacation rental! Charleston Castle for a month, yes please!

Ruins in the middle of Charleston Harbor

10. Castle Pinckney 

Charleston, SC
Built in 1810
Currently only accessible by water

This is the only one on the list that was always a structure used for military purpose. Like medieval castles it had a large rounded buttress, with small windows and ramparts on top. Today it is being over taken by nature and only accessible by boat.