306 Metcalfe Street

   "Birkett Castle" was built in the late 19th Century for local merchant and politician Thomas Birkett. The National Trust for Canada explains...

Birkett Castle was the headquarters of the National Trust for Canada from 1981 until 1994. Thomas Birkett, who was an alderman, Mayor of Ottawa, and MP at the turn of the 20th Century, built Birkett Castle in 1896. It is a rare example of Baronial Gothic architecture with towers and a crenellated roofline. Inside it is an attractive home with wood panelling, ornaments, and stained glass windows. Briefly in the 1920s, the building served as the Japanese Embassy and then became the headquarters of the Canadian Boy Scouts Association. From 1961 until 1994, it was occupied by a series of organizations. In 1994, the Government of Hungary bought the building from the National Trust and it has since served as the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary and Residence of the Ambassador.

   Over the decades, the Leda clay so prevalent in this part of Centretown allowed the Castle's foundation to slump unevenly. Cracks developed in the walls of the sun-room facing onto Waverley. This damage was worsened and extended by the earthquake of June 2010. Recent  repairs to the building have entailed the rebuilding of the south-facing foundation using the original masonry.

   A City of Ottawa document describing the house and its repairs can be viewed here. The pdf includes historical discussions as well as photographs of structural damage. The firm of CSV Architects was contracted to provide some beautiful elevation drawings of the Castle.

historical view (n.d.) via the City of Ottawa

   Of the interior, Katharine Fletcher writes (Capital Walks second edition, 2004 Fitzhenry & Whiteside)...

[It] still retains much of its Victorian detailing. Reminiscent of the chinoiserie popular in Victorian times is the vestibule’s pressed-tin panelling figured with oriental designs of birds, dragons, and dolphins. The foyer boasts richly carved wooden paneling. A generous staircase sweeps into the hallway, and a bronze figurine of a fairy, Eau, graces the newel post

   According to Urbsite, "A baronial fantasy piece, 'Birkett's Castle' was designed by architect William Hodgson." You can read about Mr. Hodgson here.

   A modern annex extends westward from the back of the house. While its brick matches the colour of the original structure, no attempt was made to emulate its style, and the annex is not included in the heritage designation.