Forbes Mausoleum

Callendar House is a sprawling, 14th-century French chateau surrounded by over 170 acres of lawn and forest. Heavily frequented by joggers and dog-walkers, the expansive grounds are home to magnificent flora, fauna, and a glistening pond. 

Unbeknown to most, however, is the abandoned mausoleum that lies deeper within the forest. Dating back to 1816, Forbes Mausoleum is a circular, Classical monument memorializing the death of William Forbes I. Designed by Archibald Elliot, it boasts twelve fluted columns that emerge from a podium.

Above the doorway, an inscription of a verse taken from a Greek poem nods to the impermanence of human life. It has been loosely interpreted as follows:

All things we mortals call our ownAre mortal too and quickly flown;But could they all forever stay, We soon from them must pass away.

Several members of the Forbes family are buried in the surrounding cemetery, along with individuals who worked on the estate. Unfortunately, due to time and neglect, the headstones are either broken into pieces or overgrown with vegetation. The remnants can be found a short distance away, walking northwesterly direction.

The mausoleum, now sealed shut, hasn’t been used in years. Heavily tattooed with colorful graffiti, it’s slowly being overtaken by the forest and the markings of those who stumble upon it.