I set out today with no photographic location in mind and found myself driving from Poughkeepsie through Millbrook on a path I have not taken before. When I happen to catch a sign for the Millbrook Winery and decided to head that direction. I reached the Winery's road shortly up from 59 off 82 and something told me to just keep driving. I winded up the back roads coming across the tiny sign for Wing's Castle!
Intrigued I slowly pulled in the gravel road and cautiously drove to the top as I still wasn't sure this wasn't someone's driveway! When you reach the top about 100 yards up from the road it is quite unmistakable! My first reaction was awe inspiring :) Now I mainly shoot scenery shots and to the left of the castle is a spectacular view for many...many miles across the Mid Hudson Valley yet I could not take my eyes off the castle!
There is a parking lot and a very friendly lady by the name of Toni meets you at it's edge. Toni and Peter are the owners and yes they did build this magical place with their bare hands! I wont give you the tour step by step because Toni tells it, I'm sure, much better then I could especially the plethora of things Peter is involved in throughout the area. The entire castle is created out of salvaged building material from structures being torn down from age and misc construction dumps in the area. Now you may say "made from articles out of a dump?" but I will tell you this with all honesty, I have never seen old tea cups, jelly jars and even the ball float that keeps your toilet working were put to simple artistic taste that compliment the peaks of the castle...
The inside is filled with antique relics of all kinds and you could take this tour a thousand times and still find something new to look at. I took it twice and found myself like a child in a candy store :) My favorite eye catcher had to be the "boat" hull that is actually the landing for the second floor. It's not a real boat rather made to look like one but you'll see it... There are winding brick stair cases here and there that take you to view points as any castle would have. These area's I was told are usually off limits to the public for safety sake as it is a good fall from any one of them but I didn't care I was absolutely content with the tour itself.
You may meet their Macaw and forgive me as I cannot remember his name who resides in the kitchen. The kitchen is also filled with very unique construction materials. Watch for the Indian as you enter, one of Peter's hundreds of hand carved sculptures.
OK my favorite part of this tour begins from the kitchen down a dimly lit mosaic stone walkway to the bathroom at the rear of the castle. I cannot with any good contemplation come up with the words to describe it's beauty. The bathroom is filled with a warm glow of light and amazing arched brickwork that had me truly believing I was transported in time to some distant castle in another land. The tub is perfectly round I believe made out of copper originally but finished with a material to allow its use. The water flows from a sculpted face on the wall to fill the tub. The toilet and wash basin are each tucked into their own out coves. Simply amazing!
From their you pass another mysterious set of curved steps that lead up to a door that head outside again. Look for the stained glass window as you leave. There are many to see but that one in particular really caught my attention. Outside again you'll see the 60ft. lap pool that actually runs underneath the dimly lit hallway I spoke of earlier to another pool in the courtyard of the castle. WOW!
There is soo much more I could tell you about this place and with a little more time I could probably fill a book but I'll leave you to this review and hope it intrigues you enough to stop by and see this unbelievable structure from an inspired mind.
In closing I would like to thank Toni and Peter for the tour twice as the first time my hand wasn't nearly steady enough to grab the lighting correctly without a monopod and wish you two the best in life!! Thank you for creating this absolutely unique castle and more, allowing us the public, to tour your beautiful home!
I will return for the B&B :) Keep up the good work!
Richard H.
