Bantony

Shimla


Whimsical and photogenically dilapidated, this 1880 red-brick mansion looks like a place for a Scooby Doo adventure. There's a wobbly central spire-turret and the coat of arms of the Maharajah of Sirmaur who once lived here. After years of neglect, the tentative first steps towards restoration started in September 2017, though there's a lot to do.

A second quaint red-brick cottage next door requires similar attention.