Romance, Riches & Ghosts: Inside West Virginia’s most enigmatic castle

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Something about a castle evokes thoughts of murder, mayhem, and mystery. Perhaps it’s the architecture—the stonework and castellated towers. Secrets seem to surround these structures. Berkeley Castle in West Virginia is no exception.

Overlooking the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs, “The Castle,” as locals call it, boasts a history as twisted as the winding road along which it sits. It’s been a source of gossip among townsfolk and visitors for more than 140 years.

From the outset, it was shrouded in scandal. While “taking the waters” at the springs, 51-year-old Colonel Samuel Taylor Suit fell for Rosa Pelham, the 22-year-old daughter of U.S. Representative Charles Pelham. Despite their ages, she agreed to marry Suit if he built her a castle.

Whether or not she was serious, he spent $100,000 to build the hand-cut stone edifice—around $3.3 million today. It was modeled after the larger Berkeley Castle in England. At first, it was known as a cottage, as were many seasonal homes at the springs, but newspapers began referring to it as “The Castle.”

Not long after its completion, the saga commenced. Suit died within months, and at age 27, Rosa found herself widowed with three children. Her husband’s will stipulated that she must live in the castle and never remarry.

Tongues began to wag. In the pamphlet “Berkeley Castle,” historian Frederick T. Newbraugh states that, “She was Queen Rosa, [with] a castle, money, and sophisticated and wealthy friends.” Her affluent guests included wealthy D.C. lawyers, politicians, and financier Howard Gould.

Parties at the castle were legendary. In 1891, a newspaper wrote that during one such event, she was “attired in black crepe with an elegant train that gave her a queenly air in her efforts, in order that her quests be well entertained.” Newspaper accounts are all that appear to remain to document the parties, as no diaries exist, and locals were not invited.

Mysterious deaths are also linked to the castle, including that of Suits himself. Local lore is that Rosa poisoned her husband. Is it true? No autopsy was performed. It’s also rumored that two of Rosa’s lovers died while visiting. The sheriff reported that one jumped from a tower, but some say another lover pushed him. Another was allegedly poisoned.

Rosa’s lavish lifestyle continued for about three decades, but her money eventually ran out, and banks and creditors descended. It’s been reported that the 1893 recession and its following depression nearly wiped out the fortune.

In 1909, The Washington Post reported a public auction of the castle for $4,625—about $86,000 today. Court records from 1910 state that Rosa’s biggest debtor was the department store Woodward and Lothrop of Washington, D.C., for $1,639. The widow lived on and off at the castle until around 1924, when a deed was cleared of any creditors.

Once filled with laughs, music, and mystery, the castle stood silent. Rosa, who had a rocky relationship with one of her sons and experienced the death of her beloved daughter, now lived often in the Hotel Dunn in the town below.

Newbraugh writes that the hotel owner recalled her fondness for gold-tipped Melachrino cigarettes, which were made especially for ladies. “He said that she attracted attention smoking gold-tipped cigarettes at a time when few women smoked in public.”

By 1915, the parties had ended. Her wealthy friends fled, and austerity set in. “Being a host was part of Rosa’s life,” Newbraugh wrote. “When she could no longer entertain the city social elite, she had local people for tea.”

However, she was also known for generously sharing dishes with the ill. According to local lore, she rented rooms in the castle to make ends meet.

When finally removed, she rented a “very rundown residence” where she raised chickens and tended a garden. When that sold, she was forced to rent another meager home. Finally, a son took her to Idaho, where she died in 1947 at 84 or 85 years old.

Don Mason, author of the book “Berkeley Castle: its People and Town,” says the castle and Rosa have been the subject of “myths” for over a century. Solid information is challenging to come by, as some thought Berkeley Springs a sinful and indulgent city, and records are questionable or have disappeared.

Mason said he believes Rosa was misunderstood.” During “Queen Rosa’s reign,” many in the town of fewer than 1,200 full-time residents were farmers or employed at low-paying tanneries, and a personality as regal as Rosa’s was mystical and foreign.

Mason says blaming her lifestyle for her financial troubles is overly simplistic. The nation’s economic uncertainty and the colonel’s stipulation that the castle could not be sold (despite the high maintenance cost) were all contributing factors.

In the years after Rosa’s departure, the Castle occasionally hosted a party in her honor. During the parties, the band played a “Requiem to Rosa,” a fitting way to remember its queen.

Through the years, the castle has served as a camp, hotel, and residence. It is now owned by the Berkeley Castle Foundation.

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