Kellie's Castle was to surpass his estate bungalow.  Seventy tough workers, mostly from Madras, were employed and bricks and marble were imported from India.  But during the construction, tragedy struck.  A mysterious illness broke out, killing many of Smith's workers.  The superstitious Smith was told that a temple must be built to appease the gods.  He immediately transferred his workers to build a Hindu temple nearby.

Work resumed after the temple was completed but the castle was never to be realised.  Tragedy struck again.  On a visit to Lisbon, at the age of 56, Smith died of pneumonia.  

His wife, Agnes, sold the estate and with the passing of time, and the end of colonial rule, the castle soon faded into memory.

Located on a ridge beside a meandering river near the town of Batu Gajah, Kellie's Castle is easily spotted from the Batu Gajah - Jalan Gopeng.  Etched against the blue sky, much of the structure is still intact.

Over the years, the sturdy castle appears to have waged battle against the undergrowth.  Although once creepers sprout from its exterior and gnarled tree roots fill the compound, the interior is undamaged.  Only the spiders and insects make home of the empty rooms.

Despite signs of decay, the castle exudes a certain air of dignity and grandeur.  Moving from room to room, one can imagine the rich furnishings that would have filled the stately structure, had it been completed.  As we wander around the castle, there is a eerie feeling of being watched.  Sunlight streams through a series of arches on the two main floors, casting ghostly shadows on the verandah running the length of the building.

Perhaps, there is some truth to the local legend that the spirit of Old Man Kellie still wanders along the corridors...