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| Loch Raven at dawn, September 2009 |
The setting for the book I'm currently working on is based on a real place called Loch Raven. It is a reservoir lake located near Baltimore, Maryland. It was formed when two dams were built to hold back the Gunpowder River. It currently serves as a ideal place for fishing, hiking and bike riding, while simultaneously providing much of the area with drinking water.
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Original design plan
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In 1832, Robert Gilmore III purchased about 900 acres of land at the modern day site of Loch Raven. He divided the land into two different parts, calling the rocky, hilly area Ravensrock and the green valley bellow New Market. On the border between the two, he built Glen Ellen castle in the Gothic Revival tradition of architecture. Complete with soaring towers and gothic windows, the manor looked like a little castle perched on the edge of the valley.
The first smaller dam was built in the 1880s, marking the beginning of the decline of the Glen Ellen estate. By 1923, a larger dam had been built, flooding the New Market portion of the estate and creating the vast lake now known as Loch Raven. The waters rose to within a few hundred feet of the steps of the castle. Because of the reservoir, the estate had to be abandoned and it quickly fell to ruin. Pieces of the castle were saved and moved to other buildings, most notably The Cloisters on Falls Road. Because of the safety risk, the castle was finally knocked down in 1930. Only ruins of the foundations remain.
I'd always loved the sound of the name Loch Raven and I thought it would be a great name to give a setting in a book. After doing some research into the history of the area, however, I found so many other things that make Loch Raven a special place. The manor used in my book is based on the plans and photos of Glen Ellen, but it is not an exact replica. The Breakfast Room is located in the castle's original parlor room, which didn't have nearly as many windows and opened up onto a large porch. On the plans for the castle, a large veranda is depicted and I decided to use this instead of the porch. Also, the story does not take place in Maryland, but rather some vague New England location. The town of New Market and Hampton Cove College are completely fictional, but I did take their names from different locations near the real loch. Even Loch Raven itself has changed in the book. Instead of being a man-made reservoir, it is a natural lake surrounded by hills and forests.
Photos courtesy of the collection at the Baltimore County Public Library
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Glen Ellen Castle during its prime. The largest tower was about 63 ft tall.
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Interior shot of ballroom. Alcoves would have housed statues.
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Large porch on the side of the castle. It's replaced by a flagstone terrace in the novel.
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Glen Ellen in its ruined state, overrun by ivy.
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Interior and exterior shots of the library bay windows in ruins.
Loch Raven can be seen in the background of the interior shot. |
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By the time it was torn down, Glen Ellen rivaled any of its
European counterparts in the 'spooky castle' department. |
Information source: http://www.bcpl.info/info/history/glen_ellen.html
very erriebut a wonderful backdrop for a book!
ReplyDeleteInteresting concept for a book.....I've visited the ruins of Glen Ellen at Loch Raven reservoir. You may wish to reconsider the New England setting as Glen Ellen is clearly Southern.
ReplyDeleteRobert Gilmor's son Harry was a Confederate Cavalry Officer who was fascinating in his own right. He himself wrote a book of his exploits "Four Years In The Saddle".
Following the war, he became Baltimore City Police Commissioner.
Completely concur. Seems out of place to put the novel anywhere else but south of the mason dixon.
DeleteGlen Ellen is actually the first Gothic Revival residence built in the United States. (In 1833, the tradition was still fairly new, even in England. Gilmor was inspired by Strawberry Hill and Abbottsford, which he visited on a trip to Scotland about 1830. He must have returned with copies of the Specimens of Gothic Architecture done by Augustus Pugin in the 1820s, and had his architect, A. J. Davis, modify the Greek Revival house planned by adding various Gothic elements. (You can still see the Greek Revival basis for the house in the overall boxy style and the decoration inside the ball room. There was also a guest house which is the very picture of a Greek temple. Glen Ellen itself never ended up quite as elaborate as the plans, as Gilmor's funds were not unlimited.) Davis went on to become the leading proponent in the US for Gothic Revival. His masterpiece is probably Lyndhurst.
ReplyDeleteThe history of this castle and the town of Warren is amazing to me and my daughters who are grown. We have all had many years of visiting the reservoir. Where could I find more information on the ruins of the castle and the town of Warren?
ReplyDeleteIn such descriptions it would be helpful if you published precise locations- such as - what is the building one encounters as one goes up the hill after having gone across the bridge"? like that
ReplyDeleteThen too - who lives there now?- (what are the visiting hours?)
Baltmore Co is probably still a haven for confederate, gun and agnew loving trump supporters- how much has changed- let us know.
As one who knows the territory backwards and forwards- I can tell you- the village beneath Loch Raven SHALL RISE AGIAN!!!
Glen Ellen was torn down in the 1930's no one lives there,or has lived there for almost 100 years.
ReplyDeleteAs one who doesn't know, anywhere as much as he thinks,you would have known this !! You would never survive the trek as there are no roads only trails !
Confederates...Democrats. Yes, Baltimore county is still a load of liberals.
ReplyDeleteThis place looked so cool...especially the ballroom! Why anyone would dynamite it down??
ReplyDeleteI have been hiking in to Glen Ellen for now the past two years and have discovered short cuts that make it about a half hour walk in from Providence Road. On a couple of my early visits I did take the wrong path in or out. Study a topo map and then you won't have to rely on the trails.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you see when you got there?
DeleteYou are absolutely revolting.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother lived there in the early 1900’s when it was an orphanage. She was very happy there and went on to become a nurse at Sinai and graduated in class of 1912
ReplyDeleteMy great great grandmother used to work there as a maid...and her daughter Nettie was born there, during a snowstorm, in 1888. Trying to research it. Love the pictures! Thanks for posting!
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