Hammond Castle: Guided Tour & Interior

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In September 2024, I visited places and attended events in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails. My first stop on this three-day adventure was Hammond Castle. In a post from earlier this week, I discussed the exterior of the building, its temporary exhibits, and its construction history. Today, I will focus on the guided tour and interior of the building.

Inside a vaulted stone Gothic Cathedral. A flight of stone stairs and a pair of doors lead outside. On the right is a large fireplace. An arrangement of pipes on a balcony near a round stained glass window A rectangular collection of organ pipes high up on a stone wall
Massive vaulted wooden ceiling above stone walls and floors. To the left is a fireplace and an icon of Mary with baby Jesus; on the right is an ornate balcony At the far end of the room is a curtained alcove hiding organ pipes. In the balcony above the alcove are more organ pipes. A round stained glass window is above the balcony. Medieval Icon Diptych of Unclear Saints Enormous Icon of Mary and baby Jesus at Hammond Castle

The animated young tour guide led a group of about ten to fifteen people into the cathedral potion of the building. This section included artifacts from medieval and post-medieval Europe along with the Dominican Republic. Imagine my surprise to find familiar-looking 16th century twin benches once owned by Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, a Catholic bishop who advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples of the Caribbean yet supported the enslavement of Africans. I had first learned about him on the Chuchu Colonial tour in Santo Domingo and saw his statue in front of Museo del Hombre Dominicano. I am fairly certain I saw more of these benches at Museo de las Casas Reales.

A working but unlit medieval-style fireplace The heavy carved bench has seating for three with an armrest between each seat Carved white marble chair behind a short wall

My other favorite feature of this room was the organ. The pipes were part of the original plan, while the current console was added during the 1980s. While currently out of commission, the museum is fundraising to restore the massive instrument and host concerts. Its pipes are hidden behind faux windows throughout the cavernous space.

Stone wall with a combination of Gothic and stick style elements. The glass ceiling is made of small panes in a metal lattice Red brick pop-out with casement windows jutting from a stone wall with an authentic wooden carving depicting small people Roman Sarcophagus with a Statue of a Child on the Lid

The guided tour ends in the courtyard, which is up a flight of stone steps from the cathedral. This area is modeled after a medieval French village, as inspired by the house-turned-museum of his friend Isabella Stewart Gardner in Boston, MA. The guide pointed out technological features of building, such as a heated swimming pool and a complex lighting system connected to the glass roof, which would allow original owner John Hays Hammond Jr. to seemingly change the time of day. Some unusual artifacts in this room included empty coffins or sarcophagi used as decor, along with a life-sized naked statue of Hammond that his wife understandably did not like.

Gothic style window in three sections with clear glass on the bottom and stained glass at the top A heavy wooden table and matching chairs on a patterned carpet. Large windows bring light into the room. The windows have internal shutters.
A round room with built-in bookshelves filled with books and assorted furniture. Large windows provide a view of the water. A harp is to the right of the windows. A red-painted and carved mantle with a seascape painting hung over it. Built in bookshelves filled with books are on either side. A harp is to the left of the fireplace. Stained Glass windows over the door to the Butler's Pantry as seen in the Library

After the excellent guided tour ended, visitors could explore the rest of the house on their own. To the left of the French village was the dining room. Wood paneling and heavy wooden furniture atop patterned carpet continued the medieval ambiance, while the room had yet another amazing view of the water.

I take a picture of myself in a mirror with a reverse-glass ship painting and a golden-painted frame hung on the back wall of a landing at the top of the stairs. A man in his 30s wearing early 20th century formal clothes A black painted harp attached to a bench set against built-in bookshelves filled with books.

Next to the dining room was the round library. Besides being filled with books, paintings, a harp, and a colorful stained glass window, not to mention another incredible view, the room was designed to amplify the voice of any speaker who stood in the center. This effect was similar to the unintentional amplification found in the Mapparium, part of the Christian Science Plaza in Boston, MA and my first post on this blog. The library also featured portrait of Hammond’s friend Henry Davis Sleeper who built his home across the water; Beauport is now owned by Historic New England and open to tours.

A metal knocker with a demonic face and the knocking ring clenched in his big teeth A second-story balcony is supported by a stone arch built into the wall. At the bottom center is the swimming pool surrounded by indoor plants. The back wall is made of stone and resembles an entrance to a cathedral

Down the stairs was the modern kitchen used by Hammond and his wife, Irene Fenton. Hammond invented a variety of kitchen appliances and used his inventions. I had trouble focusing in this room due to an overly loud speaker playing radio ads from the early to mid 20th century, and I wish this interactive feature came with an off switch.

The walls or covered in white plaster. Open arches on the left and a solid wall on the right The glass is mostly clear with a small, square stained glass piece at the center. On a table below the windows stands the bust Medieval Icon of Jesus and ten followers

Visitors travel up a steep and narrow flight of stairs to return to the French villa, and then climb wider stairs to the second floor. This level contains bedrooms for the Hammonds and their guests. One bedroom was completely wallpapered, including the door, and had a removable doorknob. Hammond would prank his guests by removing the doorknob, trapping them in the room. While it was not a particularly nice thing to do, that room had a luxurious canopy bed, views of the courtyard and the outdoor garden, and a modern ensuite bathroom, so the experience could not have been too bad.

A trio of Medieval style windows overlooking the French Village Rectangle Windows with Round Glass Panes Overlooking the French Village More Rectangle Windows with Round Glass Panes Overlooking the French Village

The theme of medieval artifacts and architecture continued throughout these rooms. I especially loved the variety of window designs, stained glass, Christian iconography paintings, and a bust of a cardinal. An alcove between the two bedrooms described the life of Irene and her family. While I appreciated this well-designed mini exhibit, its location was problematic. Each time I began reading the material, another group wanted to pass between the bedrooms, and I had to move out of the way so they could get by.

On the left side is a canopy bed. Gothic style windows with clear and stained glass are in the back wall. In front of the windows are a wooden chair and a pair of side tables. Canopy bed with floral fabric matching the wallpaper Three panels of lattice separated by grey columns. Through the lattice is the balcony on the opposite side of the Cathedral holding organ pipes and a round stained glass window behind them

The final stop on this adventure was a winding staircase leading up to the balcony. I had to wait my turn to use the stairs as only one or two people could use them at a time. While the ropes and chains provided as handrails were helpful to me in getting up the stairs, I am a highly athletic person in my twenties and still had to take care when navigating the narrow steps. These stairs could use a more obvious assumption of risk warning. Getting to the top was certainly worth it for me. I could see the entire cathedral along with more stained glass and a fancy lantern.

Red floral fabric on the bed; an antique wooden trunk sits at the foot of the bed Across the courtyard filled with indoor plants is the red brick jut-out plus a naked statue of John Hays Hammond Looking down at the stone floor and stone walls. To the left is a fireplace; on the right is an ornate balcony At the far end of the room is a curtained alcove hiding organ pipes. In the balcony above the alcove are more organ pipes. A round stained glass window is above the balcony.

Hammond Castle went above and beyond anything I was anticipating from the museum. Both the interior and exterior of the building were well-maintained, the tour guide highly trained and energetic, the signage fairly easy to read, and the other amenities exceeding expectation. I did visit on a sunny fall day, so the lighting and temperature of the building were ideal; this may not be the case for other weather conditions. Like many historic homes, the building is not accessible for those using a wheelchair or with limited mobility; as previously mentioned, parts of the building can be difficult for navigate even for people with very high mobility.

Stained Glass of Mary, a pair of cross-shaped windows, and a fancy hanging lantern in the Cathedral balcony A tall, circular, small room made of whitewashed brick with narrow windows near the top to let in natural light Grey-painted stairs turning clockwise. A white-painted door leads off from the stairs while a narrow window provides natural light

The castle is currently closed for the season, although events take place throughout the year, and will open in the spring. Its hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted with guided tours starting on the hour. Ticket pricing is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for children ages 5 to 12, and $0 for children ages 4 and under. A wide range of discounts are available and listed on the official website. If you love architecture or Western history and do not mind a climb, Hammond Castle is a must-visit on the North Shore.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 9/10

Accessibility: 5/10



Location: 80 Hesperus Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA

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