However, such was Bannerman's ambition that the project was never truly finished. He died in 1918 and the decades that followed were tumultuous to say the least. After explosions, fires and the sinking of the ferryboat that serviced Pollepel Island, the odds seemed to be stacked against Bannerman Castle.

It was ultimately left to rot. Today, the site is frequented by tourists who come by boat and kayak to peer at the overgrown ruins.

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