Hearthstone Castle is a genuine surprise: a full-scale castle in the medieval style, built in 1900 as a summer home and now sitting deep in the woods of Tarrywile Park. The structure features round towers, battlements, and solid stone construction that makes it look transplanted from the English countryside. It was built by a wealthy businessman who wanted something impressive; it ended up being abandoned and donated to the city, which has struggled to fund its restoration.
The castle is accessible via trails in Tarrywile Park and can be viewed from the outside year-round, though access to the interior is restricted. The contrast of a ruined medieval pile in a Connecticut forest is genuinely striking — it feels like a film set that forgot to be removed. Worth the short walk from the Tarrywile Park entrance.