A few blocks east of Ambler's bustling Main Street, Lindenwold Castle has stood for 134 years as a partial remake of England's royal Windsor Castle. The vacant property, now surrounded by a series of residential developments, will soon be auctioned off with tentative plans to convert the majestic building into apartments and ground-floor commercial space.
Constructed in 1890 on a 400-acre estate, the property was remodeled in 1912 by architect Milton Bean. It was made for "Asbestos King" Richard Mattison, who earned his moniker as the head of manufacturing firm Keasbey & Mattison when the company settled in Ambler in the late 19th century. Bean's other buildings in Ambler at the time included Trinity Memorial Church, the Ambler Gazette Building and the Linden Gate home that also resembles a castle.
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At 24,000 square feet, the three-story Lindenwold Castle is about 20 times smaller than Windsor Castle, and the land around it has been hemmed to just over an acre. The castle sits next to the 104-home luxury Mattison Estate development and an upscale retirement community with 250 units.
Over the past few years, Lindenwold Castle owner Aquinas Realty Partners has invested about $3 million into upgrading the building's utilities in preparation for a sale. Given the property's features, the castle has been put up for a sealed-bid auction that starts at $1.5 million. It was most recently appraised as-is for $1.9 million in 2022.
The castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. Auction house Paramount Realty USA notes in its listing that the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia has approved plans for a buyer to convert the castle into a mixed-use development with 11 apartments, space for a ground-floor business and a surface parking lot.
Mattison lived at Lindenwold Castle until his asbestos empire crumbled during the Great Depression. He sold what was left of his estate to the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1936. The Roman Catholic religious institute converted the castle into an orphanage called St. Mary's Villa, which operated for decades before merging with the Sisters of the Holy Family. The castle was prominently featured in the 1966 comedy film "The Trouble With Angels," which depicted an all-girls Catholic school run by nuns.
The castle still retains its original stained glass, trim millwork, marble fireplace and ceilings clad with gilded wallpaper. Prospective buyers will need to invest in interior renovations to spruce up the rooms and make them appealing to renters.
Bidding on Lindenwold Castle will remain open until a 4 p.m. deadline on Dec. 19.