Built / Designed For: Rebuilt for Colonel William Petrie Waugh
House & Family History: Col. William Petrie Waugh purchased Brownsea Island in 1852, having been advised by geological experts that it was a great repository of china clay, valued at over £1 million. Col. Waugh hired the unknown Southampton architect Philip Brown to rebuilt the moated mid-16th century square blockhouse into a Tudor extravaganza. By 1870 the experts had been proved wrong (there were no large deposits of china clay on the island) and Col. Waugh and his company, Branksea Clay and Pottery, were bankrupt. In 1896 the Castle was gutted by fire and partly rebuilt in the early 20th century. The island and Castle are today owned by the National Trust. Part of the island is leased as a nature reserve to Dorset Wildlife Trust. Brownsea Castle is leased by the National Trust to The John Lewis Partnership and is not open to the public.
Architect: Philip Brown
Date: Circa 1852-54John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. I, 1818.
Country Life: XLIX, 430, 1921.
Title: Great Drawings from the Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Author: Harris, John; Lever, Jill; Richardson, Margaret
Year Published: NA
Reference: pg. 106
Publisher: London: Trefoil Books
ISBN: 0862940362
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade II
Park Listed: Not Listed
Past Seat / Home of: Colonel William Petrie Waugh, mid-19th century.
Current Ownership Type: The National Trust
Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction
Ownership Details: The esland and Castle are owned by the Trust. Part of the island is leased as a nature reserve to Dorset Wildlife Trust (tel. 01202-709-445 for information). Brownsea Castle is not open to the public.
House Open to Public: Grounds Only
Phone: 01202-707-744
Fax: 01202-701-635
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Historic Houses Member: No