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Castle Drogo's foundation stone was laid on 4 April 1911, Julius Drewe's 55th birthday. Lutyens was in overall control from his office in Queen Anne's Gate in London and on site at Drogo was Julius Drewe's co-ordinating agent, John Walker.

The castle's builder was Lewis Bearne whose firm was based at Newton Abbot and under Bearne's direction about 100 men - stone-cutters, labourers, masons, carpenters and a couple of blacksmiths - were employed at any one time, excepting during the First World War.

Progress during the first year was good: the concrete foundations were laid, rock removed and 28,000 trees planted. There were to be no cavity walls and no bricks, only solid granite quarried locally at Merivale, Blackingstone and Pew Tor. All the masonry was laid by two masons named Doodney and Cleave who worked on the house throughout its 20 year period of construction.

(Found on the web on www.devonlife.co.uk some time ago but no longer accessible)