Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Ipoh

During this second semester school holidays, we visited a place where it is full of myths, legends and rumors - Kellie's Castle. Kellie's castle is located near Batu Gajah, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. This is an uncompleted mansion which was built by a scottish planter called William Kellie Smith. According to differing accounts, it was either a gift for his wife or a home for his son. Based on the information written on the board at the Souvenir Corner we know that  Kellie Smith built his first mansion, "Kellas House" in 1909 and in 1915 with the birth of his son, Anthony, he started planning for a huge castle with Scottish, Moorish and Indian architecture. However, it came to an abrupt halt with Kellie Smith's sudden death. He died of pneumonia during a trip to Portugal in 1926. His heartbroken wife, Agnes decided to sell Kellie Smith's properties and return home to Scotland.

Beside the haunted stories and the paranormal sightings, the unique architecture drew my attention. The uncompleted mansion designed with a 6-storey tower, rooms, a wine cellar, flat rooftop for parties and a tennis court. According to the history written in the brochure, all its bricks and tiles imported from India. He even employed a big group of Indian labors to build his dream house to keep the house authentically Indian. The bricks walls give it a rustic and mysterious feel. Try to look for a perfect camera angle, you can produce a stunning image of the historic architecture...

The brick walls give it a rustic and mysterious feel.

guest room, narrow staircase and the wine cellar

The first elevator in Malaya is located in this mansion. It connected the underground tunnel up to the top floor. Unfortunately, the plan did not materialise. We could only see a lift shaft there.

Lift shaft

I was very scared when I stood on the rooftop, there was no safety fence installed on the sides of the rooftop. Please take mighty good care of you children if you bring your children up there.

Scenery from the top.

It is said that a Canadian couple who came to Kellie's Castle to take the pictures of nocturnal creatures. After the night-time shoot, the woman saw a ghostly image of a man standing, looking out of the window.

Ghostly Cloister Balcony

 This is Kellie Smith's first home - Kellas House, Built in 1905 where he stayed with his family.

Kellas House was partially destroyed during the second world war.

It  is believe that there are four secret underground tunnels. One is connecting the Kellie's Castle to the Hindu temple, one is connecting to the road and one is connecting to the main gate garage. But part from three known tunnels, the last one still undiscovered.

This is the ventilation hole for the underground tunnel heading towards the Indian temple.

 Before we got there, we had heard that the Kellie Smith's spirit still wandering inside the castle, especially along the corridors. Some said that there are lots of workers' spirits wandering around the castle since they died during the construction of the castle and people died during the second world war. There was much curiosity about this unfinished mansion. Do you believe in ghosts? Anyway, an  image that looks very much like Kellie Smith's face was captured by my daughter accidentally!! Is that really the face of a spirit or it is just a kind of optical delusion? Oh, I don't know.

There is a ghostly face image behind the window.

Let's compare the ghostly face image to the William Kellie Smith's picture. Is it looks very much like his face?

Spirit of Kellie Smith?

This castle is well worth a visit. The entrance fee for Malaysia adult was RM5, kid (age 3 -12) was Rm 3.