Nesbitt Castle, formerly known as Holdengarde Castle, is a 20th-century neo-gothic castle located near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Perhaps one could say that Nesbitt Castle is Zimbabwe’s version of such an eccentric dream, similar to the magnificent estate built by an English colonist in northern Rhodesia (Zambia today) as described in the book "The Africa House".
Example of Neo-Gothic Architecture
From Private Residence to Boutique Hotel
Formally the private residence of Mr. Theodore Holdengarde, The Nesbitt Castle was restored and reopened as a boutique hotel in 1990 by Mr. Digby Nesbitt. Medieval architecture with signature crenellations and ramparts echo an era when romance and chivalry were the hallmark of hospitality.
Trip Advisor gives this place a #4 spot among the top things to do in Bulawayo. The castle offers a unique experience, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
Check in times are from 12:00pm - Check out time before 10:00am.
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A Filming Location
The hotel was used as a filming location for the 1992 film "The Power of One". Featured in the 1992 blockbuster movie, The Power of One, written by Bryce Courtenay and directed by John G.
THE POWER OF ONE
Weddings, Functions, and Corporate Events
Nesbitt Castle is fully equipped to handle corporate conferences, board meetings and workshops. Weddings and functions are our speciality and we have successfully hosted many over the years.
The Nesbitt Name: A Scottish Legacy
The name Nesbitt is not just a local name; it has deep roots in Scottish history. My grandmother, Frances Nesbitt, was born in November of 1908 to Frederick Nesbitt and Louise Howell. But I didn’t learn until I was an adult that Nesbitt was the name of a longstanding Scottish clan with a lot of history behind it.
The name is associated with the lands near Edrom in Berwickshire, Scotland, close to the English-Scottish border. Historians believe the name may have come from a geographical feature in this area; “nese” means “nose” in Middle English, while “bit” means “mouthful,” “piece of ground,” or possibly “bend.”
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Location of Berwickshire in Scotland
The family name dates back to at least 1160, when William de Nesbite was listed as a witness to a charter by Patrick, Earl of Dunbar to Coldingham Priory. The Nesbitts established two fortified houses in the 12th century, East Nisbet and West Nisbet. East Nisbet, now known as Allanbank, was located on the Blackadder Water near Allanton, although the original tower no longer exists.
Nesbitts pepper Scottish history, participating in the wars of Scottish independence and the Scottish civil war. Alexander Nisbet wrote a definitive book on the history of heraldry. His son, Philip, was knighted; he was later captured in battle and executed in Glasgow in 1646. Two other sons, Alexander and Robert were killed in the Scottish civil war.
In the 1700s, some Nesbitt families moved to Ireland, and later to North America. My ancestors were part of this migration.
James’ ancestors, including his father, William Nesbitt; his grandfather, Robert Nesbitt; his great-grandfather, also William Nesbitt; and his great-great-grandfather, James Nesbitt, lived much or all of their lives in Ireland, particularly the Woodgrange area of County Down. With the elder James the trail goes cold. We don’t know when or where he was born, or when he died.
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The Nesbitt Family in America
James Corry Nesbitt died in October of 1928; Lizzie lived until March of 1948. James’ father, William, came to the United States for at least a couple of decades. in 1866, when he was 19. He moved to Ohio, where he met and married Elizabeth Woollard in 1880.
According to the 1880 census, he and Lizzie lived at 260 East Town Street in Columbus, Ohio, and he worked as a dry goods retailer. The 1900 census shows James and Lizzie living with her parents at 247 East Broad Street in Columbus, and his occupation as “traveling salesman.” Much of the 1890 census records were famously destroyed in a fire in 1921, but in those intervening years James and Lizzie had at least one child, my great-grandfather, Frederick Cookman Nesbitt, born in January 1881.
In 1910 James and Lizzie were still living with her parents; he’s listed as working as a “com traveler” for a “cerfiet house”. They remained living at the Broad Street house in the 1920 census, after Lizzie’s parents had died, and James was working as the treasurer of an organization; which one isn’t listed.
In the 1870 census he, and his wife Margaret, are listed as living in Ward 6 of Brooklyn; his occupation is listed simply as “Laborer.” They are shown living with their daughter, Ellen, and a 21-year-old William Nesbitt, likely a nephew or grandson. In the 1880 census, he and Margaret are shown living at 89 Carroll Street in Brooklyn, still with Ellen and William. He has no occupation identified, although by that time he was nearly 70. He died in 1888 at Clanmaghery.
A Personal Connection
Clanmaghery Road, now also called the A2, still runs through Tyrella today. I have not visited these regions of Ireland, though I’ve been to several other parts. Someday I’d like to see Tyrella and Woodgrange, and walk the coast near Clanmaghery Road. I’d like to visit the remaining Nisbet House and explore Berwickshire. I wonder if it will feel familiar.
Interior of Nesbitt Castle
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