By: UHCL Admin15th Apr 2020 9:47AMComments on a Facebook post on 14 April 2020 included the following memories of McCurdy's Castle.

Bronwyn Carlisle:
I remember that fire [when McCurdy's Castle burnt down in 1969], was spectacular. Dad had been promising to take us up there for a look around the “castle”, we finally got to see it when it was just a couple of chimneys.

Paul Carlisle:
When I was about 6, must have been about 70/71, I climbed up there with my mate, had to wade across the Hutt river then neck deep up the Whakatiki stream to the point you climbed up to what we called McCurdies Castle. Just chimneys and a monster quince tree is what I remember of it. Glad we didn’t come across any eels.

Raewyn Heath:
I recall going to the castle a number of times when it was empty. The sheep had taken residence upstairs! It was burnt down by a guy escaping police and he hid in the castle and set it on fire when the police arrived. I recall sitting on the riverbank at Whakatiki with friends when McCurdy came across the river on his horse, he stopped to tell us he was sick of people 'humping ' all over his property! We were in fits of laughter after he left, picturing all these people 'humping"! He was known to chase you on his horse if he found you trespassing and he would fire a shot or Crack his big hose whip!

Felicity Stevens:
We were terrified of McCurdy’s Castle - the stories passed down by my older brother mainly of the old man who would chase you - we were never sure if he was a ghost or not.

Lyn Murphy:
In the 1930’s and 1940’s my parents and their young friends use to swim across the river to Bonnie Glen...they knew the McCurdy family well ..my grandfather was an Upper Hutt CIty Councillor