Castleton Tea Estate

Castleton Tea Estate is a tea garden in the Kurseong CD block in the Kurseong subdivision of the Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Castleton Tea Estate
LocationDarjeeling district, West Bengal,India
Coordinates26.869478°N 88.277652°E / 26.869478; 88.277652
Area170 hectares (420 acres)
Elevation980 to 2,300 metres (3,220 to 7,550 ft)
Owned byGoodricke Group
Open1885 (1885)

History

The garden was planted by Dr. Charles Graham in 1885. The Goodricke Group took over the garden in 1984.[1][2]

The tea estate was earlier named Kumseri. There was a building named “Bank Ghar’’, which had the look of a castle and from that building, the place became Castleton. [1]

Geography
Places and tea estates in the north-eastern portion of Darjeeling Sadar subdivision (including Rangli Rangliot CD block) and Kurseong subdivision in Darjeeling district
CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, H: hill centre, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate, TA: tourist attraction
Abbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea Estate
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

The garden

The most renowned of all the gardens of the Goodricke Group is Castleton Tea Estate. The earth, sun, mist and dew bless the mountain slopes to grow the world’s best teas that are in demand around the world.[3]

Castleton Tea Estate, with a planted area of 170 hectares (420 acres), is spread over the mountain slopes of Kurseong and Pankhabari, at an altitude of 980 to 2,300 metres (3,220 to 7,550 ft) above mean sea level.[1]

The names of garden sections are loaded with nostalgic emotions about the place – Bhalu Khop is a bear cave, Jim Basha means an erstwhile manager’s domain, Dhobitar was a washerman’s clothesline and Baseri means a resting place.[3]

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

Economy

Quality is the essence of Castleton Tea Estate. It has been awarded the ISO9000/HACCP/ISO 22000 Quality Systems Certification. The quality levels are so high that it has fetched world record prices.[3][4]

The main products of Castleton Tea Estate are black tea, green tea, white tea, Muscatel, and Moonlight, which are picked from delicate Chinese bushes. The Darjeeling tea produced here has a rose like fragrance and the unique Muscatel flavour.[5]

The Goodricke Group

The Goodricke Group owns five tea estates in Darjeeling: Thurbo, Badamtam, Barnesbeg, Castleton and Margaret's Hope.[6]

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References
  1. "Castleton Tea Estate - Kumseri Tea Garden". Darjeeling Tea Bouquet. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. "Castleton Estate Tea Garden". Holy Mountain Trading Company. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. "Castleton Tea Estate – Producers of the Best Darjeeling Tea". tea cups full. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  4. Sanyal, Santanu. "Castleton tea fetches record price". The Hindu Businessline, 12 June 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. "Darjeeling Tea Estates". Castleton Tea Estate. Darjeeling Tourism. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  6. "Our gardens". Goodricke. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
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