Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value William J M Larnach was born in New South Wales of a banking and merchant family. He came to Dunedin in 1869 as manager of the Bank of Otago, and started a milling, building and hardware firm with Walter Guthrie, which did well during the 1870s boom but went into receivership in 1882 during the 1880s depression. Larnach was a leading businessman with shares in many companies and was a director of several. He was a member of parliament between 1875-8, 1883-90, and 1894-98. He was involved in various ministries from 1877 onwards and pulled the Department of Mines into the modern age of large scale mining and proper reporting procedures. During the 1880s and 1890s Larnach ran a small kingdom on the Peninsula centred on the castle. As well as his family the castle had 46 servants. There were 35 acres of grounds, including a vinery, and a home farm of 300 acres with its own farmstead including a cow byre for 300 cows, stables, and quarters for farm workers. Tenant farmers on about 100 acres of land nearby also provided produce to the castle. The farm was regarded as a model for the local farming community.

Physical Significance

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: It is the most grandiose private home in the southern part of the South Island and unique in its combination of styles. Stacpoole comments on the 'confused planning and awkwardness of the main elevation. The main elevation is ruined by the awkwardness of the tower which conflicts with the strongly horizontal emphasis of the verandahs, is clumsily fenestrated and penetrated by an absurd entrance at first floor level. Without the tower even the mind-boggling combination of glazed cast-iron verandahs and crenellated parapets would be acceptable' (Stacpoole 1976). TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK SIGNIFICANCE: The castle crowns a hilltop on the Peninsula and is visible from many places on the harbour and local hills.