Rising majestically next to the main road, the mansion was built during the early 20th century by Padikara Mudali Nanayakkara Rajawasala Appuhamilage Don Arthur de Silva Wijesinghe Siriwardena and retains a segment of its original allure even one hundred years later. Built for the purpose of hosting his wedding, the Richmond Castle is no longer a symbol of love, but of heartbreak, as the marriage that was entered into with such pomp and splendour within the castle grounds, came apart. While many speculations regarding the exact reason are abound, a popularly believed rumour is that it did not succeed due to the absence of children. Subsequent to the separation from his wife, the Mudaliyar is believed to have lived in the Queen’s Hotel in Kandy until his untimely death at the age of 59 and the Castle was entrusted into the care of the Public Trustee Department.
At present, the Castle hosts a school for underprivileged children, and can be visited by tourists and locals who invariably lapse into creatively imagining the pomp and grandeur the Castle walls must have witnessed over half a century ago.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.
