My Grand Father Built that castle. I have a few things from the castle, including many swords. He was a bit eccentric but not evil by any stretch. There was a tunnel to the river. He was very proud of that and the dungeon that had actual skeleton in it.
That’s so cool! I grew up in Elgin and remember going on bike rides along the path and was always so curious. At the time there were many signs posted on the front and I was scared to go explore. It’s so cool and always wanted to buy it and make it a home. Now I’m actually looking to buy in France, not an actual castle but a chateau! ❤
I would always walk to it from my grandfather's house. He lived right at the end of the hill. Right before you got to the castle. Was my favorite thing to see as a child. Took my oldest there to see it also.
stumbled upon this today and the owners were gracious enough to give me and my friend a tour all the way to the top of the castle , amazing , thank you very much
Spent first 18 years of my life net door.1955 thru 1972.played chess with Mr Pratt on a 500 year old chess set up in the tower.tat floor had lots of ww 1 stuff besides the mid evil stuff..the castle is modeled after a SCOTTISH castle named Ravens Wood. He had a secret tunnel to the woods.it eventually collapsed.a bucket of coins.was found. The creek ran under the boat house.not a tunnel.he also had a home made Catapult at the top of the tower he said would throw a 100 pound. Cross the fox river. My parents and my brothers were raking leaves when Mr Pratt would spend the weekend. Walk down from Douglass 1st.he entered thru the front gate.no longer there.15 min later came walking down the tracks from Trout Parks direction.that's when he said he finally finished the tunnel.( escape ) more to come
When I was a teenager a friend of mine knew the next door neighbor who watched over the castle and normally kept people out. We were fortunate enough to be allowed inside several times to look around and investigate but the door to the dungeon was boarded up so we never got to see what was in there. A very cool place and it's good to see it is being cared for now and not just left to sit and deteriorate. In the basement level of each of the small towers are small air vents that lead underground to the dungeon.
This is fascinating because I thought the only Pratt's castle was in England 🙄 maybe one day I'll get it that way and be able to go and see this being I'm a Pratt .
+Jay Kimball +River Bluff Studios™ - Sam Olson +Jessica Velez +Valerie Meachum +K seaya +Steve Lynch Coins! There were so many coins. I was about 10 when I last went there (40 years ago, lol). My grandpa Pratt still loved it but couldn't keep up with the maintenance. We lived in California. He had 2 kids. My dad and my aunt Jackie, my Grandma Harriet and Harold (grandpa) had a very strange relationship. He spent all his time at the castle. Grandma traveled to Mexico often where she owned a hotel in Taxco, Mexico. When we were there I remember there was a chest filled with pennies. We took most of them back to California and I spent my child hood cleaning those coins anytime we sat to watch TV. It's said that everyday he would come home and put his coins in a jar, when it was full he would put the coins in the chest. There was a life tine of coins in that thing. I think it's time that I go back to see it.
hahaha I lived there back in 1982/83, in the little cottage in the back in the courtyard where water was under the cottage that's where they would pull their boats in I know some of what was found there.....I have pictures of my son when he was little playing in there, I have to say you would hear stuff at night but nothing ever bothered us, all tho I didn't go out after dark if I didn't have to!!
I'm the Mason that Rebuilt the Top of that Castle.. It's More Like 65' Tall to the Upper Turret..it Took 50' of Scaffolding to Reach the Lower What I Call the Terrace. I Never Heard of Harold Pratt Being Evil..I'd Guess the Evil Connotation Came from the Born Family's Ownership. That Place Was My Clubhouse for 2 Summers..Was a Great Place to Work!
Been in castle many times been in tunnels dungeon there is a lock door down there and mid evil things and there was still bones in there aswell when i was there
Nicely done! I've been pondering doing some similar videos when the weather gets nicer, as I learn more about my DSLR. Maybe we could collab sometime...
+Alejandra Soto Yes, you can visit it... However entry to the building is quite impossible. The building is owned and kept up but some of the shots I did in this video are even considered trespassing. New Pratt's Castle video with up-to-date info coming very soon!
I was there for the auction. It was over 20 years ago. 180k back then was a lot of money for an old river front cottage and the castle, which is really just an over built silo with windows.
