Guided tours • Clyde, Central Otago

Step inside Central Otago’s most extraordinary castle

Built in 1920 on a rabbit-canning fortune, this red-brick home has seen a century of ambition, neglect and family feuds, and a four-year restoration. Hear it all on an intimate one-hour tour with the people who live here, as seen on Grand Designs NZ.

BOOK A CASTLE TOURPRIVATE GROUP TOURGIFT A CASTLE TOUR

1hr guided tour · $50pp

Hear the castle’s fascinating stories

Located 5 minutes from Clyde

As seen on Grand Designs NZ

Hosted by owners, Ryan & Marco or Penny

Walk the gardens designed by Alfred Buxton

Three ways to visit

Book a Castle Tour

Join a small group for an hour inside the castle. Dates are limited, so check the calendar and book ahead.

SEE TOUR DATES

Private Group Tour

Social clubs, retirement villages, garden groups and coach tours. We’ll set a date that suits your group.

MAKE AN ENQUIRY

Gift a Castle Tour

The perfect gift for anyone who loves a grand old house. Valid on any public tour and emailed instantly.

BUY A GIFT CARD

Choose your tour date

Tours run on selected days through the season. Pick a date and book in a couple of minutes.

Duration

1 hour

Price

$50 · Children under 7 are free

Where

754 Earnscleugh Road, Clyde

Please note

Shoes off inside. Wear socks or bring slippers.

A private tour
for your group

We host social clubs, retirement villages, garden and heritage groups, and coach tours.

  • Private tours for groups of 20+
  • Under 20? Others may join your tour
  • No maximum group size
  • Dates and times to suit your group

Gift someone a castle tour

For birthdays, anniversaries or anyone who loves heritage buildings. Buy 1 or more guided tour tickets and we’ll email the gift card straight away. Valid for 12mths.

BUY A GIFT CARD

Make a day of it

Duo, Clyde

01 | Morning coffee

5 mins away

Begin your day with a freshly brewed coffee and a bite to eat in charming Clyde, just a short drive from the castle.

Central Otago

02 | The main event

Tours from 11am to 4pm

Step inside Earnscleugh Castle for a guided tour, uncovering the fascinating history, architecture and stories behind this remarkable Central Otago landmark.

Alexandra & Clyde

03 | Lunch

2 - 25 mins away

Enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the region’s favourite dining spots, where local flavours and Central Otago hospitality take centre stage.

Alexandra & Clyde

04 | Cellar doors

3 - 11 mins away

Complete your day with a visit to a nearby cellar door, sampling award-winning Central Otago wines surrounded by stunning vineyard scenery.

A castle built on rabbits

In the early 1900s, Central Otago was overrun with rabbits. Stephen Spain saw a fortune in the plague. At its peak, his canning factory processed 15,000 rabbits a day, and in 1919 he asked architect Edmund Anscombe to build him something New Zealand had never seen.

Then the money ran out. The Depression hit, and although the family moved in, the castle was never completely finished. After he died in 1940, his sons famously split the house in two, with a brick wall straight through the middle.

By the time we found it, the castle had stood empty for eight years. In 2022 we took it on. Four years, more surprises than we can count and one Grand Designs NZ episode later, we’ve finished what Spain started, true to Anscombe’s original plans.

Some of the best stories never made it to TV. Come and hear them from the people who live here.

The castle experience everyone's talking about

“
Fantastic tour of a truly special homeNicola Y • Trip Advisor

“What a wonderful tour of a truly beautiful place. it was so amazing to learn about the process (and costs!) of bringing this beauty back to life, Ryan and Marco are so welcoming and we also had a wonderful chat with Penny on our way out. Thanks for your time and for sharing your home and journey!”

“
The Earnscleugh experienceBailee G • Trip Advisor

“Huge thank you to Ryan for taking us on a tour of your beautiful home, what a privilege it was to see first hand what you and Marco have accomplished.

Earnscleugh castle is such a beautiful building and boy have you done it justice. How lucky it was that Ryan and Marco were the ones to take on this extravagant project, just the perfect couple for the job. And despite the size of the building, it definitely gives a very homely feel.

Thank you again for the privilege of being able to come and see the Earnscleugh Castle restoration. Worth every cent.”

“
Wonderful & insightful experienceBrenda S • Trip Advisor

“Awesome experience! Feel so privileged to be able to view the results, & learn of the huge challenges that were overcome by skilled craftspeople. All very well explained by Ryan. The hour or so, flew by! Thank you Ryan & Marco for sharing your home.”

“
Totally inspiring glimpse into castle lifeLiz W • Tripadvisor

“A fantastic guided tour and one of the highlights of our time in Central Otago. The passion and knowledge of our guide really brought the history of Earnscleugh Castle to life, with fascinating stories and insights you won’t find elsewhere. It’s clear how much love and dedication has gone into preserving this remarkable place. A memorable experience that I’d highly recommend to anyone interested in local history and heritage.”

5.0 on Tripadvisor: Read our reviews