This year, we the Grade 7 students of Ladies’ College, visited the Richmond Castle in Kalutara. A few miles passing the Kalutara town, the bus took us along a winding, gravel road. It was a grand sight to see a castle appearing before our eyes!
The Richmond Castle in Kalutara was built by Mudliyar Don Arthur de Silva Wijesinghe Siriwardena.
He was a local land owner.
Once a beautiful and grand mansion, Richmond Castle is believed to have been built between 1900 and 1910.
The mansion is modeled on another similar Indian mansion. It is said that the owners of the Indian mansion refused to give Arthur the plan and therefore with the help of a few local architects, Arthur drew the plan secretly.
The two storied Richmond Castle has 16 rooms.
While Burma teak is used for the grand staircase, bathroom fittings and floor tiles were imported from England and Italy.
Arthur married Clarice Sooriyabandara in 1910. A grand wedding was taken where the entire Kalutara town gathered to see the newly-married couple. Since they had no children, Mudliyar Arthur had erected many statues of children. Richmond Castle was handed to the Public Trustee of Sri Lanka.
It was at one time a Children’s Home. Arthur de Silva died in 1947.
Once a beautiful mansion, it is sadly neglected today. The garden is a barren land and there are no statues of children to be seen today. Richmond Castle is an unforgettable experience to any visitor.
Samadhee Wijesekera (12 years) Ladies’ College
