Bharatprspecialist at 23:38, 20 February 2026

2026-02-20T23:38:50Z

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{{Short description|Tea garden in West Bengal, India}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Castleton Tea Estate
| alt_name =
| photo =
| photo_width = 250
| photo_caption =
| type =
| location = [[Darjeeling district]], West Bengal, India
| nearest_city =
| map =
| coords = {{coord|26.869478|N|88.277652|E||display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|170|ha}}
| open = {{Start date|1885}}
| elevation = {{convert|980 to 2300|m}}
| owner = Goodricke Group
| operator =
| visitation_num =
| status =
| website =
}}
'''Castleton Tea Estate''' is a [[Tea garden (cultivation)|tea garden]] in the [[Kurseong (community development block)|Kurseong]] [[Community development blocks in India|CD block]] in the [[Kurseong subdivision]] of the [[Darjeeling district]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Besky |first=Sarah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tqXMDwAAQBAJ&dq=Castleton+Tea+Estate&pg=PA64 |title=Tasting Qualities: The Past and Future of Tea |date=2020 |publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-30325-6 |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The garden was planted by Dr. Charles Graham in 1885. The [[Goodricke Group Limited|Goodricke Group]] took over the garden in 1984.<ref name="teaboutique">{{cite web | url = https://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/castleton-tea-estate/ | title= Castleton Tea Estate - Kumseri Tea Garden| publisher= Darjeeling Tea Bouquet |access-date = 14 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="holy">{{cite web | url =https://www.holymtn.com/homepage/tea/tea-estates/castleton-estate-tea-garden/ | title= Castleton Estate Tea Garden| publisher= Holy Mountain Trading Company |access-date = 14 March 2020}}</ref>

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. <ref name="teaboutique"/>

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| width=350| height=370| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|26|57|0|N|88|20|0|E}}| float=left|caption='''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

|mark-coord1={{coord|27|1|20|N|88|21|21|E}}| label-pos1=right|label1= Rangli Rangliot| numbered1=R| mark-title1= [[Rangli Rangliot]] (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #C42222|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|27|2|10|N|88|22|0|E}}| label-pos2=right|label2=Takdah| numbered2=R| mark-title2= [[Takdah]] (R)
|mark-coord3={{coord|27|3|30|N|88|23|12|E}}| label-pos3=right|label3=Peshok TG| numbered3=R| mark-title3= [[Peshok Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord4={{coord|27|0|30|N|88|24|13|E}}| label-pos4=right|label4=Teesta Valley TG| numbered4=R| mark-title4= [[Teesta Valley Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord5={{coord|26|48|35|N|88|15|38|E}}| label-pos5=right|label5=Longview TG| numbered5=R| mark-title5= [[Longview Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord6={{coord|26|57|57|N|88|22|20|E}}| labelpos6=right| label6=Mangpu| numbered6=R| mark-title6= [[Mangpu]] (R)|
|mark-coord7={{coord|26|54|20|N|88|16|40|E}}| label-pos7=left|label7=Monteviot TG| numbered7=R| mark-title7= [[Monteviot Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord8={{coord|26|49|30|N|88|17|22|E}}| label-pos8=left|label8=Rohini TG| numbered8=R| mark-title8= [[Rohini Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord9={{coord|26|46|20|N|88|21|35|E}}| label-pos9=left|label9=Sukna| numbered9=R| mark-title9= [[Sukna, Darjeeling]] (R)
|mark-coord10={{coord|26|50|25|N|88|19|45|E}}| label-pos10=right|label10=Tindharia| numbered10=R| mark-title10= [[Tindharia]] (R)
|mark-coord11={{coord|26|52|5|N|88|17|55|E}}| label-pos11=right|label11=Giddapahar| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Giddapahar]] (R)
|mark-coord12={{coord|26|47|42|N|88|18|15|E}}| label-pos12=left|label12=Simulbari TG| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Simulbari Tea Garden]] (R)
|mark-coord13={{coord|26|56|11|N|88|28|2|E}}| label-pos13=right|label13=Sittong| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Sittong]] (R)
|mark-coord14={{coord|26|53|49|N|88|28|22|E}}| label-pos14=right|label14=Sevoke| numbered14=R| mark-title14= [[Sevoke]] (R)
|mark-coord15={{coord|26|52|15|N|88|15|50|E}}| label-pos15=left|label15=Ambootia| numbered15=R| mark-title15= [[Ambootia]] (R)| shape-color15=#C42222
|mark-coord16={{coord|26|49|30|N|88|19|0|E}}| label-pos16=right|label16=Cart Road| numbered16=CT| mark-title16= [[Cart Road]] (CT) | shape-color16=#800000
|mark-coord17={{coord|26|53|30|N|88|17|30|E}}| label-pos17=left |label17=Kurseong| numbered17=M| mark-title17= [[Kurseong]] (M)| shape-color17=#800000
|mark-coord18={{coord|27|5|55|N|88|20|50|E}}| label-pos18=left|label18=Glenburn TE| numbered18=TE| mark-title18= [[Glenburn Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color18=#87A96B
|mark-coord19={{coord|27|4|28|N|88|22|10|E}}| label-pos19=left|label19=Lopchu TE| numbered19=TE| mark-title19= [[Lopchu Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color19=#87A96B
|mark-coord20={{coord|26|51|25|N|88|14|8|E}}| label-pos20=left|label20=Balasun TE| numbered20=TE| mark-title20= [[Balasun Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color20=#87A96B
|mark-coord21={{coord|26|51|15|N|88|17|0|E}}| label-pos21=right|label21=Castleton TE| numbered21=TE| mark-title21= Castleton Tea Estate (TE) |shape-color21=black| label-size21=13|label-color21=black 
|mark-coord22={{coord|26|53|35|N|88|20|0|E}}| label-pos22=right|label22=Goomtee TE| numbered22=TE| mark-title22= [[Goomtee Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color22=#87A96B
|mark-coord23={{coord|26|54|35|N|88|20|20|E}}| label-pos23=right|label23=Jungpana TE| numbered23=TE| mark-title23= [[Jungpana Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color23=#87A96B
|mark-coord24={{coord|26|50|30|N|88|16|20|E}}| label-pos24=left|label24=Makaibari TE| numbered24=TE| mark-title24= [[Makaibari Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color24=#87A96B
|mark-coord25={{coord|26|55|30|N|88|17|50|E}}| label-pos25=right|label25=Margaret’s Hope TE| numbered25=TE| mark-title25= [[Margaret's Hope Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color25=#87A96B
|mark-coord26={{coord|26|52|25|N|88|26|20|E}}| label-pos26=bottom|label26=Mahananda |labela26= Wildlife| labelb26= Sanctuary| numbered26=NP| mark-title26= [[Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary]] (NP)| shape-color26=#228B22
|mark-coord27={{coord|26|49|0|N|88|31|0|E}}|label27=Teesta River| label-color27 = #77A1CB| label-angle27=45| label-pos27=top| label-size27=10| mark-size27=0| mark-title27=none
|mark-coord28={{coord|26|47|0|N|88|23|30|E}}|label28=Mahananda|labela28= River| label-color28 = #77A1CB| label-angle28=45| label-pos28=top| label-size28=10| mark-size28=0| mark-title28 =none
|mark-coord29={{coord|26|45|0|N|88|17|0|E}}|label29= Balason River| label-color29 = #77A1CB| label-angle29=35| label-pos29=top| label-size29=10| mark-size29=0| mark-title29 =none
|arc-coordA={{coord|27|9|0|N|88|11|50|E}}|arc-textA= SIKKIM| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=-161| arc-gapA=-4| arc-radiusA=0.7
|arc-coordB={{coord|26|50|0|N|88|7|0|E}}|arc-textB= NEPAL| arc-text-colorB=hard grey| arc-angleB=60| arc-gapB=3.5| arc-radiusB=0.4 }}

===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.<ref name="teacup">{{cite web | url = https://www.teacupsfull.com/blogs/blog/castleton-tea-estate | title= Castleton Tea Estate – Producers of the Best Darjeeling Tea|publisher= tea cups full |access-date = 14 March 2020}}</ref>

Castleton Tea Estate, with a planted area of {{convert|170|ha}}, is spread over the mountain slopes of [[Kurseong]] and Pankhabari, at an altitude of {{convert|980 to 2300|m}} above mean sea level.<ref name="teaboutique"/>

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.<ref name="teacup"/>

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.<ref name="teacup"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/castleton-tea-fetches-record-price/article23078416.ece# | title = Castleton tea fetches record price|first=Santanu| last= Sanyal| publisher = The Hindu Businessline, 12 June 2012 |access-date = 14 March 2020}}</ref>

The main products of Castleton Tea Estate are [[black tea]], [[green tea]], [[white tea]], Muscatel, and Moonlight,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.thunderbolttea.com/teas/castleton-moonlight-imperial-first-flush/ | title = Most Sought after Castleton Moonlight Imperial Tea | work=Castleton Tea Estate| publisher = TB |access-date = 18 April 2022}}</ref> which are picked from delicate Chinese bushes. The [[Darjeeling tea]] produced here has a rose like fragrance and the unique Muscatel flavour.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0000bf.htm#an0 | title = Darjeeling Tea Estates| work=Castleton Tea Estate| publisher = Darjeeling Tourism |access-date = 14 March 2020}}</ref>

===The Goodricke Group===
The Goodricke Group owns five tea estates in Darjeeling: [[Thurbo Tea Estate|Thurbo]], [[Badamtam Tea Estate|Badamtam]], [[Barnesbeg]], Castleton and [[Margaret's Hope Tea Estate|Margaret's Hope]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://goodricke.com/tea-garden/darjeeling/margarets-hope | title = Our gardens| publisher = Goodricke|access-date = 27 March 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Kurseong}}

{{Darjeeling District}}

[[Category:Tea estates in Darjeeling district]]

Castleton Tea Estate - Revision history

Bharatprspecialist at 23:38, 20 February 2026