Highcliffe Castle is a Grade I listed mansion built between 1831 and 1836 in the Romantic and Picturesque architectural style, originally constructed for Lord Stuart de Rothesay. The castle incorporates salvaged Medieval stonework and stained glass from Norman abbeys in Normandy, lending it distinctive European character. Once lavishly furnished in 18th-century French style, it was home to American Harry Selfridge (founder of London's Selfridges department store) from 1916. Despite extensive fire damage to its interiors in the 1960s, careful restoration in the 1990s has preserved the remarkable exterior. Set within beautifully landscaped grounds overlooking sandy beaches and a nearby nature reserve, Highcliffe Castle offers visitors a glimpse of romantic Victorian architecture and historic elegance.
