Dundurn Castle: Sir Allan MacNab and His Hamilton Home.

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Allan Napier MacNab (1798–1862), the descendent of a noble Scottish family, was born in Niagara-on-the-Lake and, following service in the War of 1812, settled in Hamilton, Upper Canada (Ontario). His high-powered, entrepreneurial dealings involved railways, steamships, banking, real estate, and politics. He had a lengthy involvement with Parliament, was knighted in England in 1836, and later became a baronet. Back in Ontario, he was Speaker of the House for three years and Premier for the Canadas from 1854 to 1856. Throughout his varied career he was always on the edge financially, often struggling with debt. Yet he dreamt big and built a castle, his concept of a suitable home for a MacNab laird. This book tells the MacNab story as background for an introduction to that stately home, which has been restored to the 1855 period and is now a national historic site and popular tourist attraction.

The Italianate-style house, built over three years, was substantially finished in 1835. Then a massive columned portico was added in 1855, giving it the look of a Greek temple. Its 72 rooms include the usual family and servant quarters, public halls and drawing rooms, plus a dairy, ice pit, brewery, and that most modern of conveniences, an “ablutions room.”

Fifty modern colour photos of the building—interiors, exteriors, and outbuildings—support a “walking tour” of the main rooms. For each, specific furnishings are illustrated, accompanied by comments on how the MacNabs would have used the room. These photos are of fair to good quality but fail to convey the full impact or mood of the restored settings. The second part of the work, on MacNab’s life adventures, is richly illustrated with nearly 40 reproductions of archival artwork.

Although his term as premier was short, MacNab was a significant figure in Ontario’s development nonetheless. By packaging a fairly detailed summary of his history with an introduction to his castle, an important piece of Ontario history is made accessible to a wider readership.