Hatley Park National Historic Site
Encyclopedia
Hatley Park National Historic Site is located in Colwood, British Columbia
in Greater Victoria. It is the site of Hatley Castle, a Classified Federal Heritage Building. Since 1995, the mansion and estate have been used for the public Royal Roads University
. From the 1940s-1995, it was used for the Royal Roads Military College
, a naval training facility.
The extensive grounds of the historic site have formal gardens, former farmland, and trails through mature stands of first and second-growth
forest, including large Douglas fir and western red cedar.
. The historic Coast Salish
inhabitants gathered berries and camas
bulbs in the area. They harvested cedar bark to make clothing and shelter.
European-Canadian settlers began to farm the area during the colonial years, continuing into the early 1900s.
In 1906, B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor, James Dunsmuir
, who was of Scottish descent, purchased the property. He and his wife Laura commissioned the renowned Canadian architect
Samuel Maclure
to build a 40-room mansion in the Scottish baronial style
; the Tudor revival style was popular in the Edwardian period. The Dunsmuirs created many beautiful formal gardens using the services of renowned American garden designers Franklin Brett and George D. Hall of Boston, Massachusetts. The Dunsmuirs named their estate "Hatley Park," in the tradition of British and European private estates. The castle became a landmark and was occupied by descendants of the Dunsmuir family until the last years of the Great Depression
.
The family sold the property to the Government of Canada
in 1939. The government sold off some of the land; during five days in June 1939, “Maynard & Sons” conducted a public auction of 927 lots. In 2008, the 100th anniversary of Hatley Castle was celebrated.
A Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque reads:
The Royal Roads Military College band consisting of 15 pipers and drummers and 30 brass-and-reed musician recorded an LP in 1983-4. Petty Officer First Class Gabby R. Bruner, RRMC bandmaster from 1979-85 composed `Hatley Park` as the official quick march for RRMC and `Dunsmuir Castle`, for the Visit of Queen Elizabeth
to RRMC in 1983.
, the British Crown made contingency plans for King George VI
, his wife Queen Elizabeth
, and their two daughters, princesses Elizabeth
and Margaret
, to reside in Canada. The federal government purchased Hatley Castle in 1940 for use as the King's royal residence. The Royal Family and government decided against their leaving the UK during the war, and the family stayed in London.
body of water, which forms the entrance into Esquimalt Harbour
from the Strait of Juan de Fuca
, lying to the east of the facility. The military college was closed in 1995 and the estate leased to the Province of British Columbia. That same year, the castle and grounds were designated a National Historic Site by the Canadian government.
In September 1995, Royal Roads University
was opened as a public, degree-granting university. It leases the campus from the Department of National Defence
for $1 per year. The university manages all stewardship responsibilities related to the site, including site management, operations, heritage preservation and restoration, and educating the public about the site's history and natural resources.
engaged the American landscape architects Franklin Brett and George D. Hall of Boston, students of Frederick Law Olmsted
, to develop a landscape for the entire site. They prepared a classic design for an Edwardian park that included the overall layout for the entire property. The plan organized the estate into four distinct landscape zones, progressing from a series of nine formal 'garden rooms' near Hatley Castle, to recreational spaces, then to agricultural lands, and finally to the forest surrounding the estate.
During the Dunsmuir era, approximately 100 gardeners and groundskeepers tended the estate. During the years when the cadets attended Royal Roads Military College
, the Department of National Defence employed approximately 50 gardeners and groundskeepers to maintain the property; a testimony to their commitment to retain the integrity of the estate.
Today, Royal Roads University
employs five full-time gardeners, one arborist, a garden curator, seven seasonal gardeners and groundskeepers, and one manager to tend to the entire 565 acres (2.3 km²) estate, including the formal gardens.
As the university does not receive any federal, provincial or municipal funding to maintain the site, the gardeners must make choices about the areas that can be best presented. They have made the Japanese, Rose and Italian gardens the showcase areas of the property.
.
Colwood, British Columbia
Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. Colwood was incorporated in 1985 and has a population of approximately 15,000 people. Colwood lies within the boundaries of the Victoria Census Metropolitan area or Capital Regional District,...
in Greater Victoria. It is the site of Hatley Castle, a Classified Federal Heritage Building. Since 1995, the mansion and estate have been used for the public Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
. From the 1940s-1995, it was used for the Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College was a Canadian military college located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility is currently being used as the campus for Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic...
, a naval training facility.
The extensive grounds of the historic site have formal gardens, former farmland, and trails through mature stands of first and second-growth
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
forest, including large Douglas fir and western red cedar.
Hatley Castle and Gardens
Prior to European settlement, the area was inhabited for thousands of years by varying cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. The historic Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
inhabitants gathered berries and camas
Camassia
Camassia is a genus of six species native to western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California, and east to Utah, Wyoming and Montana...
bulbs in the area. They harvested cedar bark to make clothing and shelter.
European-Canadian settlers began to farm the area during the colonial years, continuing into the early 1900s.
In 1906, B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor, James Dunsmuir
James Dunsmuir
James Dunsmuir was a British Columbian industrialist and politician. Son of Robert Dunsmuir, he was heir to his family's coal fortune. The Dunsmuir family dominated the province's economy in the late nineteenth century and were a leading force in opposing organized labour...
, who was of Scottish descent, purchased the property. He and his wife Laura commissioned the renowned Canadian architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Samuel Maclure
Samuel Maclure
Samuel Maclure was a Canadian architect in British Columbia, Canada from 1890 to 1920. He was born in Sapperton, New Westminster, British Columbia on 11 April 1860. He studied painting at the Spring Garden Institute, Philadelphia, PA from 1884-5. He was a self-taught architect...
to build a 40-room mansion in the Scottish baronial style
Scottish baronial style
The Scottish Baronial style is part of the Gothic Revival architecture style, using stylistic elements and forms from castles, tower houses and mansions of the Gothic architecture period in Scotland, such as Craigievar Castle and Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. The revival style was popular from the...
; the Tudor revival style was popular in the Edwardian period. The Dunsmuirs created many beautiful formal gardens using the services of renowned American garden designers Franklin Brett and George D. Hall of Boston, Massachusetts. The Dunsmuirs named their estate "Hatley Park," in the tradition of British and European private estates. The castle became a landmark and was occupied by descendants of the Dunsmuir family until the last years of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
The family sold the property to the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
in 1939. The government sold off some of the land; during five days in June 1939, “Maynard & Sons” conducted a public auction of 927 lots. In 2008, the 100th anniversary of Hatley Castle was celebrated.
A Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque reads:
"Hatley Park. This superb example of an Edwardian park was laid out for James and Laura Dunsmuir in the early 20th century. At its centre stands a Tudor Revival mansion, whose picturesque design is enhanced by a rich array of decoration and fine craftmanship. The grounds, featuring a variety of native and exotic vegetation, unfold from formal gardens to recreational spaces, farmlands and forests. Acquired by the Canadian armed forces in 1940, Hatley Park evolved to meet the needs of Royal Roads Military College in a manner that has preserved its essential Edwardian character."`
The Royal Roads Military College band consisting of 15 pipers and drummers and 30 brass-and-reed musician recorded an LP in 1983-4. Petty Officer First Class Gabby R. Bruner, RRMC bandmaster from 1979-85 composed `Hatley Park` as the official quick march for RRMC and `Dunsmuir Castle`, for the Visit of Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth
-Queens regnant:* Elizabeth I of England , last Tudor monarch over England, reigned 1558–1603* Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms, reigned since 1952-Queens consort, dowager and mother:...
to RRMC in 1983.
Planned royal residence
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the British Crown made contingency plans for King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, his wife Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, and their two daughters, princesses Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
, to reside in Canada. The federal government purchased Hatley Castle in 1940 for use as the King's royal residence. The Royal Family and government decided against their leaving the UK during the war, and the family stayed in London.
Royal Roads Military College
The Canadian government adapted the mansion as a naval training facility. From 1948 it was known as the Royal Roads Military College. It is named for the Royal RoadsRoyal Roads
Royal Roads is a roadstead or anchorage located in Strait of Juan de Fuca near the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In 1790, Sub-Lt Don Manuel Quimper of the Spanish navy anchored his ship the Princess Royal there and claimed the territory for Carlos IV....
body of water, which forms the entrance into Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour is a sheltered body of water in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca by a narrow channel known as Royal Roads. Its entrance is marked by Fisgard Lighthouse....
from the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
, lying to the east of the facility. The military college was closed in 1995 and the estate leased to the Province of British Columbia. That same year, the castle and grounds were designated a National Historic Site by the Canadian government.
In September 1995, Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
was opened as a public, degree-granting university. It leases the campus from the Department of National Defence
Department of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
for $1 per year. The university manages all stewardship responsibilities related to the site, including site management, operations, heritage preservation and restoration, and educating the public about the site's history and natural resources.
Hatley Gardens
In 1912, the DunsmuirsJames Dunsmuir
James Dunsmuir was a British Columbian industrialist and politician. Son of Robert Dunsmuir, he was heir to his family's coal fortune. The Dunsmuir family dominated the province's economy in the late nineteenth century and were a leading force in opposing organized labour...
engaged the American landscape architects Franklin Brett and George D. Hall of Boston, students of Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, to develop a landscape for the entire site. They prepared a classic design for an Edwardian park that included the overall layout for the entire property. The plan organized the estate into four distinct landscape zones, progressing from a series of nine formal 'garden rooms' near Hatley Castle, to recreational spaces, then to agricultural lands, and finally to the forest surrounding the estate.
During the Dunsmuir era, approximately 100 gardeners and groundskeepers tended the estate. During the years when the cadets attended Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College was a Canadian military college located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility is currently being used as the campus for Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic...
, the Department of National Defence employed approximately 50 gardeners and groundskeepers to maintain the property; a testimony to their commitment to retain the integrity of the estate.
Today, Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
employs five full-time gardeners, one arborist, a garden curator, seven seasonal gardeners and groundskeepers, and one manager to tend to the entire 565 acres (2.3 km²) estate, including the formal gardens.
As the university does not receive any federal, provincial or municipal funding to maintain the site, the gardeners must make choices about the areas that can be best presented. They have made the Japanese, Rose and Italian gardens the showcase areas of the property.
Admission fees controversy
In June 2006, citing the unfunded costs of heritage preservation (estimated to require an infusion of $20 million over the next decade for a capital program), the university started charging admission fees to its main heritage gardens, an area that makes up less than five per cent of the 565 acres (2.3 km²) campus. This changed prompted some public controversy. After delays to the plan to include parking and admission in an omnibus fee, RRU changed the fee structure to garden-only admission, i.e., $8 for adults from the original cost of $12 per adult. It also introduced a $15 four-month summer garden pass for residents of Greater Victoria, in addition to the free pass offered to residents of ColwoodColwood, British Columbia
Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. Colwood was incorporated in 1985 and has a population of approximately 15,000 people. Colwood lies within the boundaries of the Victoria Census Metropolitan area or Capital Regional District,...
.
Use in TV and film
- Hatley Castle is shown in the SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
television series as Luthor Mansion, the estate belonging to Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. - The castle is the setting of the X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
film series (beginning in 2000) as Professor Xavier's School for Gifted YoungstersX-MansionIn the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
. - It was used in the 1997 movie, MastermindsMasterminds (film)Masterminds is a 1997 comedy action film starring Patrick Stewart.-Plot synopsis:Oswald "Ozzie" Paxton initiates a highly illegal hack, and begins pirating a soon-to-be-released game, "Scream II". His download is interrupted when his younger stepsister enters his room without permission...
as Shady Glen School, supposedly a private elementary school in California. - The castle was used in MacGyverMacGyverMacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
TV series. In the second episode of season 5, "The Legend of the Holy Rose, part 2", it is the setting of a hideout for the episode villain. - In the TV series Seven Days, episode 9 of season 2, "Love and Other Disasters", the castle is used as a home for a royal family and a place for royal wedding.
- In the series Poltergeist: The LegacyPoltergeist: The LegacyPoltergeist: The Legacy is a Canadian horror television series which ran from 1996 to 1999. The series tells the story of the members of a secret society known as the Legacy, and their efforts to protect humankind from occult dangers...
, Hatley Castle was the headquarters of the San Francisco legacy. - Many scenes of Fierce PeopleFierce People (film)Fierce People is a 2005 drama thriller film adapted by Dirk Wittenborn from his 2002 novel of the same name. Directed by Griffin Dunne, it starred Anton Yelchin, Diane Lane, Kristen Stewart, Chris Evans, and Donald Sutherland.-Plot:...
(2004) were filmed in the interior and exterior of Hatley castle. It was used as the stately home of the rich family clan of Ogden C. Osborne. - The ending scenes of The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...
(1979) were filmed inside Hatley Castle. - Big Time Movie based on the hit tv series Big Time Rush is being filmed on some parts of the property for 2011
Buildings
The Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings lists 9 recognized buildings and 1 classified building on the grounds of the Hatley Park National Historic Site.| Building (Year built) | Significance |
|---|---|
| Guard House Building 38 | Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2002 |
| Belmont Road Main Gatehouse BEL 13 (1908) | Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 |
| Cow Barn / Dairy RR6 (1912-16) | Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 The original Tudor Tudor style architecture The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons... -style dairy Dairy A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned... and cattle barns were converted into laboratories and classrooms for physics Physics Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic... and oceanography Oceanography Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean... . The building was refurbished in 1998 into research Research Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method... and computer Computer A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem... laboratories |
| Gatehouse Lodge RR8 (1912 to 1916) | Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 |
| Grant Building Building 24 (1942) | main academic building, laboratories, cafeteria Cafeteria A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen... , and offices named for first Commanding Officer of HMCS Royal Roads, Captain John Moreau Grant John Moreau Grant Captain John Moreau Grant CBE was the first Commanding Officer of HMCS Royal Roads in Esquimalt, British Columbia. The Grant Building at Royal Roads University was named in his honour.-Education:... . The building was recently renovated. Recognized Federal Heritage Building 1990 |
| Gymnasium - sports complex (1942) | gym Gym The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men... nasium, weight room, fitness Physical fitness Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness... studio, squash Squash (sport) Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball... courts, outdoor tennis Tennis Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all... courts *Registry of Historic Places of Canada |
| Hatley Castle (1908) | administrative centre of Royal Roads University Royal Roads University Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:... . From 1941 until 1943 when Grant Block was completed, the Castle served as dormitory and mess hall for cadets and staff officers at RRMC. Classified Federal Heritage Building 1986 [Registry of Historic Places of Canada]] |
| Hatley Park / Former Royal Roads Military College (1908-13) | designated National Historic Site of Canada 1995 |
| Millward Wing (of the Nixon Building) (1991) | Offices, dormitories, named for former Commandant Air Vice-Marshal James Bert Millward DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... (Bar), GdG(F), CD, RCAF 1949-52 the 4th Commandant of RRMC. |
| Nixon Block RR24A (1954 to 1956) | classrooms, dormitories named after the former Commanding Officer Nixon of the Royal Naval College of Canada, when it was re-established in Esquimalt, British Columbia Esquimalt, British Columbia The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esquimalt Harbour and Royal Roads, to the northwest by the... in 1918. Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 |
| Stable / Garage RR4 (1914) | Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 James Dunsmuir's stables and garage were later converted to classrooms, dormitory Dormitory A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students... , social center known as the Mews Conference Centre. |
| Swimming Pool RR22A (1959) | two-storey, white concrete building composed of horizontal cubic volumes. Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 |