Berkeley Castle featured in latest issue of Goldenseal

Berkeley Castle is featured in the latest issue of Goldenseal magazine.
The story, titled “Berkeley Castle: Living in a Landmark,” is written by freelance author and photographer Carl E. Feather.

The 8,500-sq.-ft. Berkeley Castle, thought to be the only Norman-style castle in the U.S., sits on a ridge overlooking Berkeley Springs.
Its colorful history began when wealthy businessman Samuel Taylor Suit started construction in 1885, but died before it was completed in 1891 at a cost of $100,000.

Suit’s widow, Rosa, inherited his fortune, spent lavishly and ended up penniless. She moved out of the castle, and it was sold to the Bank of Morgan County in 1916.

The castle changed hands several times before Andrew Gosline bought it at auction in 2002. He found there was considerable structural restoration to be done, as well as roof leaks and drainage problems to be addressed.

Gosline repaired the 20-room castle and added stone patios and a waterfall. Now a private residence, the castle remains a Morgan County landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Gosline has established a trust fund so the castle can be maintained in the future.

Gosline opens his home to the public at an annual Yule Tea at Berkeley Castle that benefits the Museum of the Berkeley Springs. This year the event will take place on Sunday, December 4. Tickets are limited to 70 per serving. Call 1-800-447-8797 for reservations.

Also in the Winter issue of Goldenseal are stories about the traditions of the Belgian community in South Charleston; a visit to the 2011 Bluefield Coal Show; and interviews with environmental activist Larry Gibson of Kayford and West Virginia’s first black general, Edward S. Greer of McDowell County.

Goldenseal is West Virginia’s magazine of traditional life and is published quarterly by the West Virginia Division of Culture & History in Charleston.