The Dark Shadows of Lyndhurst
Written by Laura Schnecke
Tarrytown, NY—Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, NY is the theatrical setting for Collinwood, the mythical estate in the Dark Shadow movies. And while Dark Shadows had its fair share of spooky elements and unearthly events that Lyndhurst can’t quite hold a candle too, there are a few instances that make Lyndhurst a little out of the ordinary.
East Bedroom
In the first movie, The House of Dark Shadows, we learn that Barnabas Collins went to England in 1797. It would be another forty years until Philip Paulding began construction on what would become Lyndhurst, and another 132 years until the movie was released in theaters nationwide.
While the Paulding family was wealthy and prominent political figures, by 1864 they fell on hard times and were forced to move out of their gothic revival style home. They passed it furnished to George Merritt. Merritt made grand improvements to the property, building a massive wing and the three story tower. After his death, his wife sold the estate to Jay Gould. Lyndhurst remained in the Gould family until 1961 when the current owner, Anna Gould who had become the Duchess Talleyrand Perigord through marriage, gifted it to the National Trust so it would remain a historic property.
Rear Exterior of Lynhurst
One of the most key (and extremely rare among historic homes) features of Lyndhurst is the furnishings. As each family moved out, they left their furniture and trinkets behind, leaving us with a rich historical account of the lives and deaths of those who once lived there. This must have also been a great attraction to location scouts for Dark Shadows, as many scenes show items which are still in the house today. Any visitor to the estate will recognize desks, beds, vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, trompe l’oeil painted walls, gothic doorways and more from the movie. Dark Shadow’s fans will also recognize the carriage house, children’s playhouse, rose gardens, green house and other out buildings on the property.
While the grounds, mansion and internal furniture are beyond beautiful, one can’t help but wonder if the movie’s producers were attracted to its macabre curiosities. Was Dark Shadow’s shot at Lyndhurst only for the spectacular visual appeal, or was there another connection?
The library at Lyndhurst is one any bookworm would be jealous of. Thousands of volumes line the shelves and a combination of Gould’s and Merritt’s furniture make cozy reading nooks throughout. George Merritt was an avid reader, and mostly choose weighty topics to fill his library. Records show that he had requested the purchase of tomes on history, travel, nature and poetry. But if you look closely, you can find one solitary shelf with a few different topics. A Treatise of Specters, Travels of the Jesuits, Witchcraft, Christian Dogmas and more helped educate Merritt on the more “occult” side of life.
Another connection between the vampires of Dark Shadows and Lyndhurst is the painting Wallachian Caravan in Winter by Adolph Schreyer. This oil on canvas painting depicts a traveling line of pack horses and their handlers navigating through the snowy mountains. The Wallachia region is a mountainous area, conveniently located just south of Transylvania. While horses were a very common theme in his work, most of Adolph Schreyer’s paintings were entitled with the focus on Arabs. We found only one other mention of Wallachia in his work. Was this piece brought into the house purely for it’s Transylvanian connection?
Then there are the stories of the bizarre. Anna, the Duchess Talleyrand Perigord, was an animal lover and very much attached to her three Pekingese dogs. As each pooch passed on she had it interned in it’s own dog sized lead coffin. She never quite knew what to do with the coffins and they remained in the house for some time. Finally, knowing she couldn’t just keep them lying around the house, she had the coffins moved outside and they were placed on saw horses by the children’s play house, Rose Cottage. They remained there for years before they were finally moved to an unknown location. May the Pekingeses rest in peace.
Rumor has it that at least one someone isn’t resting in peace at Lyndhurst. We got a secret tip about an unexplained event in the home. One quiet evening at the estate as our mystery guest was working alone in the house, he passed through what used to be the servant’s dining room. As he walked up a short set of stairs he felt the presence of someone behind him. He turned to greet his follower and he found that no one was there.
Who was with him in the servant’s dining room that evening? Was it a family member of the Paulding, Merritt or Gould family’s who each enjoyed their time in their majestic castle like home on the Hudson River? Was it one of Anna’s dearly departed pups? Or maybe it was Barnabas Collins come back from England!
Photo Credit: Donna Davies/Haunted Hudson Valley
Ready to delve into the world of House of Dark Shadows?
Watch it online at Amazon Video on Demand.
Plan your visit to Lyndhurst:
Lyndhurst
635 South Broadway
Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591
(914) 631-4481
