The Haunted Thornewood Castle Inn & Gardens in Lakewood, Washington

Stephen King's Star of Rose Red

Hauntingly glorious, and hopelessly enchanting, the star of Stephen King's 2002 Rose Red is as beautiful today as it was when Chester Thorne envisioned its English décor in his mind.

The 400 year old Elizabethan manor famously known as Thornewood Castle graces Lakewood, Washington like nothing ever before with her Tudor Gothic style that appears to stare at you from her crystal windows and intricately placed stained glass pains.

The entire design of the mansion was carefully detailed by the famous architect, Kirkland Cutter, but it was Chester Thorne who would ensure that only the finest materials went into his castle.

Chester Thorne, one of the founders of Tacoma, Washington was fascinated with the grandeur of old English estates and decided to recreate one of them to perfection in the Pacific Northwest. The one million dollar Thornewood castle was completed in 1911, and the extreme love that he felt for his bride inspired him more than anything else to build the home of their dreams that would remain long after they had departed this world.

Every last detail of their future home was of the utmost importance to Chester, and he wanted nothing more than to secure their happiness together within the walls of the enormous estate. Only the finest would due for his bride, and began his endeavor by having enough bricks shipped directly from England to facilitate a three-story, 27,000 square foot empire, complete with the finest furnishings and luxurious formal English gardens that would most certainly embellish the property.

Twenty-eight gardeners resided daily over the 37 acres of lush gardens that boasted everything from a sunken secret garden adorned with English accents to brick breezeways, and arched entrances. The garden was one of the many highlights on the property and was often used to entertain the rich and famous friends of the Thorne family.