Summer Hols West - Craigdarroch

Welcome to Craigdarroch Castle.



Now what, pray tell, do you think that someone would need a castle in the middle of the city of Victoria?

Well, if you believe the web site and the tour guides and the plethora of information throughout the castle, it was built by the coal baron, Robert Dunsmuir, as a show of wealth.

The reality is somewhat stranger...



You see, in the late 19th Century, the evil scientist Vladimir Von Craigdarroch moved to Victoria to carry out his nefarious schemes of steam powered robotics and heat rays.

Here's one of his early prototypes.



And its head.



Luckily, agents of the British Columbia Government were soon onto his plans.

A frontal assault of the castle was not practical - it was a castle after all.

However, at nearby Government House, there was an experimental cow flinger - a kind of catapult for large animals - perfect for taking on a castle of Craigdarroch's size.

Von Craigdarroch heard of these plans and had his artisans construct programming templates for his steam robots to identify flying animals.



However, the robots were not quick enough to defend against all the incoming projectiles.
Some found their mark, embedding in the walls of the castle.







Von Craigdarroch's telescope for spotting the incoming animals.



This one missed the wall completely, sailing through an open window and splatting on the floor.



The view from the heat ray tower.



I don't think any nefarious plans can be carried out without a Tarago.



Here we have Government House.



Actually, it's the fourth building on this site.
The previous three burnt down...