Once Upon a Time: The Incredible Story Behind Castle Gwynn and The Tennessee Renaissance Festival
Nestled in the rolling, rural landscape of Arrington, Tennessee, Castle Gwynn is Williamson County’s very own modern fairytale. The castle, sat atop a hill, is the private residence of Nashville-natives Mike and Jackie Freeman. The dream to live in a castle first began in 1970, in a high school architecture class, where Freeman began sketching up plans. He was first inspired by the movie “War Lord,” a 1965 film about medieval warfare in 11th-century Normandy. The movie featured a Hollywood-constructed castle tower that piqued his interest.
“I thought ‘I need to be in a castle,’ and I knew I’d have to build it myself,'” he shared.
Even as a teenager, Freeman had a natural talent for architectural planning, and his teachers encouraged his pursuits. Further inspired by a visit to a 12th-century castle on the border of Wales, Castell Coch, or “Red Castle,” building plans began to take shape. Freeman even received drawn plans of Castell Coch, courtesy of connections made at the 11th-century castle, which was reconstructed in the 19th century. The drawings further aided in his construction plans. In homage to its red forefather, Castle Gwynn means “White Castle” in Welsh. It is known that castles in the Middle Ages were often white to prevent intruders hoping to infiltrate under the cover of night, as light-colored walls meant anyone scaling the castle could be easily spotted by guards.
Castle on the Hill
Alongside its impressive exterior, Castle Gwynn is full of gorgeous details and wonders from around the world. Freeman, who is also a professional portrait photographer, has a keen eye for beauty. This is made evident by his incredible collection of items fit for a King: the antlers of an ancient elk, intricately carved furniture, a Crusade-era sword, and a 400-year-old table that once sat in a monastery, among other wonders. In the grand room of the South Tower, knights gaze down from a mezzanine, including none other than Batman (The Dark Knight) and Darth Vader (Jedi Knight).
“Dumbledore has nothing on me,” joked Freeman, using a remote to turn on flickering candles on the chandelier above our heads.
While he might not be a fictional wizard, Freeman is a knight. In fact, he was one of the last people to be knighted by late World War I Veteran and medievalist, Harry D. Andrews at Château Laroche, or Loveland Castle, another American castle located in Loveland, Ohio. Years ago, a friend even made Freeman a custom suit of armor, which he still considers a prized possession.
In 1980, Freeman broke ground on Castle Gwynn, and has been adding to its grandeur ever since with the help of expert craftsmen and artisans, many of whom have been involved in the construction for decades. The copper roof, which over decades has just faded into its expected colors, was framed by Spencer Turrentine and covered by coppersmith Leroy Shumake in 2004. Generations of the same family, the Canady’s, have done intricate masonry work on Castle Gwynn.
“It takes a whole team of people to help you. That’s what you have to have success; you can’t do it alone,” shared Mrs. Freeman. The beloved Castle Gwynn team includes expert woodworker Raymond (Jeff) Bouley and Risa Edwards, who have been working alongside the Freeman’s for many years.
In 1988, the Freemans were married in their very own castle. They spent their honeymoon on the 4th floor, and 2 days later the 3rd annual Tennessee Renaissance Festival began on the grounds.
“On our first date, I showed her a hole in the ground and I told her ‘I’m going to build a castle here’. And then we got serious and I told her we’d get married once I got the castle built. I’m a man of my word: 12 years later,” Freeman smiled.
“I wasn’t finished though, he didn’t say that part,” laughed Mrs. Freeman, who was a schoolteacher in Nashville for 49 years. When asked what her initial thoughts were on the castle plans, she shared, “I was just listening. I didn’t ask a lot of questions. I just thought ‘Everybody has a different dream.’ There are lots of different visions and dreams. So, he’s the artist and I’m the landed one. We compliment each other.”
The Freeman’s mutual passion and partnership is obvious in the remarkable home they’ve created, which has now brought a whimsical sense of wonder to Williamson County for decades. Today, with exciting additions still underway, Castle Gwynn continues to be as historically accurate as possible, while also remaining livable in the modern age. Finding the balance, as one might imagine, has not been an easy feat. The Tennessee castle is still being constructed, as Freeman carefully curates special items and oversees new additions, including a functional portcullis and an incoming master suite.
Alongside its grand beauty, a unique addition to the Middle Tennessee landscape, Castle Gwynn is known for being the original site of the Tennessee Renaissance Festival, which is now held in the nearby Castle Park. The Freeman’s ran the festival until 2022. Williamson County Parks and Recreation now manages the beloved event, though the Freeman’s continue to play a crucial role. The castle is also known for being the site of Taylor Swift’s 2008 “Love Story” music video.
“When her concert was here, we had people from as far as Hong Kong that wanted to see the castle. They were from all over the world. I heard one girl say ‘I want to stand in the same place where Taylor Swift stood,'” shared Freeman. “Of course, at the time of the video, we were like ‘Taylor Swift-who?'”
Ms. Swift isn’t the only world-renowned talent to grace the halls of Castle Gwynn. The Freeman’s have owned champion Scottish Deerhounds for years. In the Middle Ages, only members of the nobility were allowed to own the regal-looking hounds. In fact, the dogs were such a status symbol that if a noble was condemned to death, they could give up their deerhounds in exchange for a commuted sentence.
The Freemans currently have 3 beautiful deerhounds: Pisce, Leo, and Kaylee. 10-years-ago, their former deerhound Maggie was the champion of her breed from the United States at The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is considered one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world.
“And we just bought her as a pet,” Freeman said with pride. “They called her The Unbeatable Maggie.”
A lifelong artist, Freeman has contributed a great deal of his own talent to the castle, including sculpted, bronze figures of his exceptional dogs. Even found items, like the statues pictured above, pay homage to the line of incredible animals that have roamed the halls of Castle Gwynn. Intentional, endearing details like these are scattered throughout the castle.
All About The Tennessee Renaissance Festival
The Tennessee Renaissance festival brings 16th-century England to Arrington, as festival-goers, merchants, and performers gather to enjoy great food, fine art, artisanal crafts, games, and entertainment. Outdoor market Covington Glenn is the central gathering place for trade and commerce, where you can find handcrafted goods and a lively atmosphere fit for fairytale creatures and royalty. The festival is held on weekends during the month of May. In 2025 the dates are as follows: May 3-4. May 10-11. May 17-18. May 24-26. On these dates the festival is held outdoors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Each weekend is themed, and dressing up is encouraged but not required.
2025 Weekend themes, in order, include Viking Victory, Fantasy and Folklore, Pirate Plunder, and Celtic Celebration.
Buying tickets in advance is encouraged, as day-of, on-site tickets are first come, first serve. Additionally, online tickets are cheaper. Saturday festival tickets are $28 (online purchase) or $38 (on-site). Sunday and Memorial Day tickets are $25 (online purchase) or $35 (on-site). Children between the ages of 3 and 12 are $5 (online purchase) or $10 (on-site). Children under 3 are free, though ticket reservations are required. Special events, such as the Fairy Flower Crown Craft and the Queen’s Promenade, require an additional fee. The Tennessee Renaissance Festival, in conjunction with Williamson County Parks and Recreation, offers a variety of specialty passes and group tickets. Consult their website for additional ticket information. Parking is included in your admission fee.
Among daily happenings, there are special events and competitions throughout each weekend. Festival-goers also have the opportunity to visit the grounds and gardens of Castle Gwynn between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on festival days. Bus rides are coordinated between the festival and castle grounds.
“This is a place where families can come. There is something for every generation. We’ll have people come and say ‘I was here when I was in 6th grade at your school day.’ It’s like a reunion and then they have a young family. That’s what we hope to continue. A memory,” shared Mrs. Freeman.
Talented vendors, artisans, and entertainers are a huge part of the festival every year, traveling from far and wide to join in the festivities.
“A lot of the vendors and entertainers do Renaissance festivals full time. They love it. They’re all so passionate about it. It’s such a cool life. They’ll go and do all these fairs for a month or 2 months and then pop to the next one,” shared Devon Russel, Festival Manager through Williamson County Parks and Recreation.
The first Tennessee Renaissance Festival had 21 vendors and about 7,000 guests. Today, there are 86 vendors and about 70,000 guests in attendance each year. A ton of work goes into the planning and execution of the festival. After May festivities, the planning process for next year begins as early as July. The grounds of Castle Park take year round work. In November, there’s a heavy push toward getting plans finalized and vendors gathered. As the festival nears, vendors often need a couple of weeks to get situated on the grounds. Spots at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival are coveted by vendors from near and far.
“When the summer hits I get inquiries every single day,” shared Russel. “People want to be here. It’s a great vendor market. It’s very well curated and the artisans are so talented.”
In 2024, the festival had 90 artisans selling unique, often handmade items you simply cannot find anywhere else. Wandering the streets of Covington Glenn you can purchase beautiful jewelry, elf ears, handmade soaps, Medieval swords and daggers (safety tied for the protection of guests), and more. Alongside vendors, talented entertainers and characters can be found wandering the festival. Among other spectacles—too many to see in just one day—there will be human chess, live jousting, and mermaid meet-and-greets. Check out the full event schedule to plan your visit.
Important Reminders for Festival Guests
- Many vendors throughout the festival do not take card payment. Cash is encouraged. Should you forget, there are ATMs on the festival grounds. Keep in mind, however, that ATM lines may be long.
- Pets are not allowed on festival grounds, other than approved service-animals.
- Wi-fi on the grounds is sparse; it’s recommended that guests plan for this. It’s wise to print or download tickets beforehand to avoid any difficulty.
- The festival is open rain or shine, though events may be altered. If severe weather takes place, tickets are able to be used the following day.
- The festival’s peak hours are between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- “Trinket Trading,” a tradition of the festival, is only allowed at vendor spots marked accordingly. Otherwise, traditional transaction is required for purchase of vendor goods.
- Attendance at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival means you consent to the possibility of being photographed for promotional purposes. This is within reason, of course, and the department will work with you should any concerns arise.
- As the event is hosted throughout the month of May, weather can be unpredictable and very hot. Keep this in mind when planning out costumes. Heavy or thick costumes might be incredibly uncomfortable in the heat. It is also strongly recommended for festival-goers to drink plenty of water and use sun protection during the daytime event.
- There is a First Aid station, located across from the Crosswinds Stage on the festival grounds.
- The serving and selling of alcohol is not permitted at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.
- Families are encouraged to come out and enjoy the festivities! With this in mind, please be mindful and courteous of other guests.
Sharing in the Dream
A crown jewel of Williamson County, the story of Castle Gwynn is an extraordinary testament to what can happen when you refuse to give up on your goals. Over nearly 50 years, through a combination of vision and hard work, the Freeman’s have created an incredible life together. Their story is one of true love, radical hospitality, creativity, and diligence. Castle Gwynn was built from the ground up. Teams of talented people over the years have brought Mike Freeman’s vision to life: a castle, rising over the blue hills of rural Tennessee.
Come catch a glimpse of the magic at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival, running every weekend through the month of May. Right here in Williamson County, you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in both history and fable, and to see a real-life castle for yourself, should you choose to visit the grounds. Whoever you are, the Freeman’s story is an inspiration, showcasing what can be accomplished when you follow-through on even the most ambitious of dreams.
