Castle Nugent Guesthouse is invited annually to participate as a part of the St. Croix Landmarks Society’s “House Tours,” in which unique, noteworthy and historic homes on the island are opened to the public for a curated guided tour by historians.

We invite you to join us on a virtual Internet version of the tour of Castle Nugent Estate Greathouse - also known as the Castle Nugent Farms Guesthouse! The tour begins right this way, mind your virtual step!

Driving eastward through rolling hills of ranch pasture, some estate buildings nestled at the base of the hills become visible across a wide expanse of brush.

Your first glimpse of Castle Nugent will be as you drive in along South Shore Road. You’ll see dramatic reefs and an endless horizon to the south, and a wide expanse of pastureland dotted with massive tamarind trees and a range of hills to the north. Look closely and you’ll see the estate buildings nestled at the foot of the big hills.

A view of the sea from the drive up to Castle Nugent, with a passing squall darkening the sea far to the south of the shoreline.

As you drive up the hill to the house, take a look back and view the majestic sea to the south.

Walking up through the pastures to the great house on the hill.

Castle Nugent today is a leading genetic breeding farm for the Senepol cattle, a gentle and heat tolerant beef breed which originated here on the island of St. Croix. But the history of this estate goes back several hundred years...

A view of the architectural lines of the historic great house at Castle Nugent, St. Croix USVI.

Built in 1730, the main house is one of five remaining buildings on the site and was the home of a plantation overseer. The Danish style of stonework foundation and post-and-beam construction was added onto several times to accommodate the growth of the family.

A stately old stone wall curves around a tiny hidden garden. Castle Nugent Guesthouse often surprises visitors with its many secrets.

Owners Caroline and Mauro Gasperi keep the gardens blooming, with potted flowers along the front of the house and well-tended trees and flowering shrubs all around the estate.

Outside of the Bear Room, the easternmost wing of the greathouse with hilly pastureland behind the house to the north.

Walking around the outside of the house on the rolling lawn, the green hurricane shutters on every door and window are wide open to invite the cool breezes that grace our hill.

Gingerbread details are typical of romantic Victorian colonial architecture from the 1800s.

The Caribbean-style wrap around galleries and gingerbread detailing beckon us with its lacy promise of breezes and views.

The house is an oasis shaded by trees - some native species and even some family heirlooms, including an olive tree brought from Italy in the 1960s.

Let’s get out of the sun and cool off...

Stepping up onto the wide wraparound gallery (porch) affords majestic views.

This is the spot where the trade winds cool you and your drink, as you survey the fields stretching down to the Caribbean Sea.

Some ranchers take a cool break on the gallery after surveying the herds. You’ll enjoy relaxing on the wide wraparound gallery, perhaps after hiking up the pasture hills or down to the sea. The views are spectacular.

The wide tiled floors increase the living space of the house, and give a scenic and breezy venue for parties, weddings, family gatherings, or just relaxing with a book.

The romantic gallery is both spacious...

...and intimate. A place to have breakfast. /photo by Luca Gasperi

We’ve celebrated many family events and enjoyed many afternoons on the gallery, and imagine that people have been doing so for a very long time.

Now let’s step inside this historic old house...

Inside the front door is the living room, decorated with antiques reflecting both the history of the house and the history of the Gasperi family.
/photo by Paolo Bursato

The wide planks of the floor are polished but well worn. Replaced in 1890, they have seen a lot of hard use.

Facing the pool and northern hills, the formal dining room. /photo by Paolo Bursato

“I like to look at these old original mouldings and walls and think of the people who lived in this house hundreds of years ago,” says Caroline. “After Hurricane Hugo in ’89, I made sure to keep as many original fixtures as possible – they’re the soul of this old house.”

Curios and knicknacks paint a picture of vibrant lives through hundreds of years in the house. Another view of the dining room.

The full sized kitchen, sunny and bright, features Danish tile, and a gourmet gas range and oven.

The kitchen features cheerful details and everything a professional or amateur chef might need to prepare breakfast, a snack or a dinner party.

The Trento Room is decorated with Alpine memorabilia.

Two twin beds with mosquito netting have antique headboards from Northern Italy, typical of the 1800s. The room is decorated with memorabilia from Trento, a small city in the Italian Alps where Caroline and her beloved Mario originally met.

The Trento Room has its own full bath and a walk-in closet.

The Bear Room, decorated with antique teddy bears collected by Caroline.

The Bear Room features a king-sized bed with mosquito netting and a beautiful Italian tiled floor. Family pictures and a large collection of teddy bears, bear curios and little surprises decorate shelves. Windows face the sea to the south, and a doorway opens into a tiny garden with a miniature fountain.

The large bath features tile brought back from a family trip to Italy.

The West Indian Room, off the living room, has views of the sea.

The West Indian room has a queen-sized bed and its own full bath.

Stepping outside to the private pool.

The blue-tiled pool is the perfect place to cool off after a long hike to the top of the hill to look out for pirate ships.

A view from the pool, looking out toward the sea from amongst the many bright colors of bougainvillea.
/photo by Luca Gasperi

There are a number of small buildings clustered around the Guesthouse where you’ll be staying. They are now private residences, but had other functions in the history of the estate.

A southward view of the cluster of historic plantation buildings from the hills above Castle Nugent.
/photo by Luca Gasperi

The historic chapel, where Caroline now resides.

After the premature death of her husband Dr. Mario Gasperi in 1989, Caroline renovated this small chapel into a studio apartment, where she now lives.

The East cottage.

This cottage was built on the ruins of an old cattle mill that was used to grind sugar cane into molasses for use in a rum distillery. It is now a private residence.

The Longhouse, with ruins of another longhouse in the foreground.

Typical 18th century construction, this longhouse served as slave quarters first, and later for hired help for the house. Along the west end of the longhouse stand the ruins of another longhouse. There used to be three altogether, forming a “U” shape, and the central courtyard was used for cooking.

The Longhouse at Castle Nugent is a private residence today.

The West Cottage.

This building, now the private residence of an island historian, was once the cotton shed for the plantation, where unprocessed cotton was brought for combing and spinning.

A final view from the shore’s edge.
/photo by Mario Gasperi

The buildings, nestled midway up the ridge to catch the breeze, are dwarfed by the open range space around them. The sugar mill (at right in photograph) stands frozen in history, while the ranch continues to bustle with daily life.

Thanks for visiting us - we hope to see you back again soon! If you’d like to see more about our ranch operation, take the Castle Nugent Farms Senepol Ranch Tour on our sister website.

For more information about renting our Guesthouse or to request a brochure, call or send address to:

Caroline Gasperi
Castle Nugent Farms
Phone/Fax (340) 773-1508
POB 969 Christiansted St.Croix VI 00821