My wife went to some kind of fund raising lunch here and I walked the dog while we waited for her to finish, and of course I took a few pictures of the ‘castle’. Of course this isn’t really a castle. I grew up in the United Kindgom and we know what castles are. This is more along the lines of a neo-gothic manor house.

It forms part of the Boston Post Road Historic District. A nearby information board reads:

Whitby Castle was completed in 1854 for William Chapman, a wealthy stockbroker. Chapman chose Alexander Jackson Davis, a leading Gothic Revival architect, to design his villa. Chapman later sold Whitby to Joseph Park and in 1920, the property became the Rye Country Club. The City of Rye purchased the property for a municipal club in 1965.

Although I just took this picture I had in mind something much older when I pressed the shutter release – something along the lines of an old, yellowing, faded black and white postcard.

I was at a bit of a loss as to what to say about this gazebo, other than that it is a pleasant spot to break your walk, sit, and look out over the river.

Luckily I came across this description on the Hudson Valley Pleasures website:

We came across this magical place quite by surprise

While on a walk to Arden Point we were excited to find the path that branches off to Glenclyffe was now clear of snow. It must be even more surprising to discover this gem once it is hidden by the lush green trees we will soon enjoy.

Two stone paths, one on each side, lead up to structure. As we approached images of monks stepping carefully forward, hands in prayer or frolicking partiers balancing glasses of champagne, played in my mind. As we stepped inside, the spanning view of the river captivated our attention.

The Gazebo was beautifully restored in 2002 through a grant in memory of Marcia Favrot, an environmentalist, artist, teacher and great philanthropist of our community.

“This is one gorgeous earth,” she wrote in September 2000, one month after she was diagnosed with cancer. “The sun is bright, the sky is blue, the air is a blessing to breathe. Friends are the flowers of living next to one another, and family is the trunk from which we grow.” Putnam County News

This work was accomplished along with the trail leading to the Gazebo called Marcia’s Mile by the Open Space Institute. It is easy imagine engaging in deep prayer or meditation in this spot. Or delightful dancing and song. There are many ways to honor and celebrate life…The views are uplifting…all around.

The path from Arden Point to Glenclyffe is called Marcia’s Mile, a trail blazed to honor the life of Marcia Favrot. “An ardent conservationist, she was a supporter of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Open Space Institute, Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, and Manitoga. She was involved in her community with the Garrison Arts Center, the Alice Curtis Desmond and Hamilton Fish Library, the Philipstown Depot Theater, Garrison Union Free School, and the Poughkeepsie Day School.” Putnam County News

We are so thankful for her generosity.

I can only echo this last sentiment.

As mentioned above the views are impressive. However, it’s clear that the author of the post made his visit when the leaves were off the trees. I was there when the trees still bore leaves and it was much harder to get a clear view of the Hudson.