Bancroft Castle

Ever since I first saw the stone "Castle" on the top of a hill in Groton MA I have wanted to film it. I finally got the chance a few days ago.

1906

General William Bancroft, a Groton native who became head of the Boston Elevated Railroad and Mayor of Cambridge, began building a retirement home called Shawfield mont at the crest of Gibbet Hill. Beginning with a modest bungalow, he planned to add a castle-like mansion and a stable, but ran out of money before the project was complete.

1918

Property is sold to Harold Ayres, a prominent physician who turned the bungalow into a private sanitarium, which accepted "all but insane or contagious" patients for $20 per week.

1920s

Groton Private Hospital houses tuberculosis sufferers on its long, open porches with views 30 miles to Mount Wachusett.

1930s

The Groton Hunt Club uses the bungalow for fox-hunting parties, dinners, dances and nature outings. In 1932 "careless fireworks" are blamed for a fire that destroyed most of the bungalow, leaving only the remains of a stone observation tower intact.

This land was almost turned into houses but it was purchased by a gentleman who preserved it. It truly is beautiful and I am so happy it was saved from development.

I used my Canon T2i to make this short film of the castle. I only own two lenses and both (50mm f1.8, Kit lens) were used. I used a Fader ND filter on the 50mm f1.8 and shot it wide open. The Fader ND filter creates a warmer look and It was hard to match the color in post (still learning).

I used an indislider mini for the slider shots.For $99.00 it is a good inexpensive slider but it does have some friction that rears its ugly head every once in a while.

I think this came out pretty good for someone still learning what works and what doesn't.