You’re walking through a damp, gray forest in Rural Spain when you hear it. A faint, rhythmic skritch-skritch-skritch. It sounds like a mechanical heartbeat, or maybe a toy that’s been wound up too tight and left to rot in the mud. If you’ve played the Resident Evil 4 Remake, you know that sound means there is a Clockwork Castellan nearby. These little wooden bobbleheads of Ramon Salazar are more than just collectibles; they are the ticket to unlocking the Primal Knife, an indestructible blade that basically turns Leon S. Kennedy into a horror-movie slasher.
Most people miss at least three of these on their first run. Honestly, some are tucked away in corners so dark you’d need a literal floodlight to spot them without a guide.
Finding all clockwork castellan locations isn't just about completionism. It’s about the lore, the challenge, and that sweet, sweet achievement/trophy pop. There are 16 in total—one for every single chapter of the game. If you miss one, you have to wait until New Game Plus or reload an old save to snag it. Let's break down where these annoying little statues are actually hiding, chapter by chapter, without the fluff.
The Village: Hunting in the Mud
The first six chapters cover the Village section of the game. This is where you'll find the first third of the figurines.
Chapter 1: Lakeside Settlement
In the Lakeside Settlement, there’s a house where you find a photo of a woman and a child. Look up. The first Clockwork Castellan is sitting on a broken roof beam. If you’ve reached the part where the Ganados start throwing dynamite, you’ve gone a bit too far. Go back toward the house with the basement.
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Chapter 2: Near the Abandoned Factory
This one is a bit of a trick. After you leave the Abandoned Factory and head toward the Chief's Manor, you'll find a small hut near some crows. It’s sitting on the ground inside the hut. Just shoot it. Simple.
Chapter 3: The Merchant’s Pier
Don't get distracted by the shooting gallery. Go down the ladder near the Merchant at the Quarry. If you walk toward the water, look into the rafters of the pier structure. It’s tucked away in the shadows between the roof and the crates.
Chapter 4: Forest Altar
You need the Insignia Key for this one. Head back to the Lakeside Settlement (where you found the first one) and open the locked gate. Climb the ladder to the Forest Altar. Look through the fence at the back of the area. It’s sitting on the ground past the wooden boards. This area is creepy, even by RE4 standards, so be quick.
Chapter 5: Village Chief’s Manor Attic
This is the one everyone misses. You need Ashley for this. Go to the Chief’s Manor, head upstairs, and look for the painting you can move. Ashley will help you reach the attic. The castellan is hidden behind some old crates and junk in the far corner of the dusty room. It’s tiny. Use a flashlight.
Chapter 6: The Checkpoint
Right before the big chainsaw sisters' fight, there’s a bonfire area. Look for a massive wooden structure that looks like a platform. The castellan is sitting right at the base of the fire, hidden by the glare.
The Castle: Salazar’s Ego on Display
Once you cross the bridge into the Castle, the difficulty of finding these things spikes. The clockwork castellan locations here are often high up or hidden behind intricate architecture.
Chapter 7: Treasury Storage
After the terrifying blind Garrador fight, you’ll find yourself in a room with a bunch of shelves. Look on top of one of the tall wooden cabinets. It’s just sitting there, mocking you.
Chapter 8: Castle Battlements
When you’re running across the tops of the walls while a giant throws rocks at you (classic RE4), look for a tower you can climb. It’s on the roof, hidden behind a small stone wall. Honestly, it's easier to find if you kill the giant first so you aren't being pelted with boulders.
Chapter 9: The Courtyard Maze
In the northwest corner of the hedge maze, tucked behind a pillar near the stairs. It’s on the ground. Most players are too busy running from dogs to notice the clicking sound.
Chapter 10: The Depths
Right outside the Merchant’s room in the sewer area. Look across from the Merchant’s shop, behind a metal grate in the ceiling. You can see its head bobbing.
Chapter 11: Stopover
After the first minecart ride (which is way more fun in the remake, by the way), you’ll hit a "Stopover" area. It’s on the wall of the small building there, right where the track ends.
Chapter 12: Clock Tower Base
Before you take the slow-moving elevator up the Clock Tower, look around the ground floor. It’s sitting on a box under the stairs.
The Island: High-Tech Hiding Spots
The Island is where things get sweaty. You’re dealing with Regeneradors and soldiers, so these clockwork castellan locations are the easiest to overlook because you're usually fighting for your life.
Chapter 13: Wharf Area
After the first encounter with the laser turrets, look for an area with a bunch of shipping containers. It’s tucked between a forklift and a large orange crate.
Chapter 14: Amber Storeroom
There’s a small office overlooking the large room where the amber is stored. It’s on top of the lockers inside that small room.
Chapter 15: Specimen Storage
This one is in a room filled with hanging body bags. Creepy. Look for a small side room with a wooden table. The castellan is sitting right on top of it.
Chapter 16: Underground Loading Docks
The final one. After the final boss fight, during the timed escape sequence. You’ll enter a room with a bunch of equipment and a green forklift. It’s sitting on a rectangular crate behind the forklift. Don't let the timer scare you—you have plenty of time to shoot it and keep running.
Why the Primal Knife Changes Everything
So, you’ve shot all 16. What now?
You unlock the Primal Knife. You’ll find it in the "Extra Content Shop." Once you buy it with CP and fully upgrade it (specifically the Exclusive Upgrade), it becomes indestructible.
In a game where your knife is your primary defense for parrying chainsaws and finishing off parasites, having a blade that never breaks is a literal game-changer. It makes Professional difficulty significantly more manageable. You can parry every single attack without ever worrying about the durability meter. Basically, you become a god.
Pro-Tips for the Hunt
- Subtitles matter: If you turn on "sound captions" in the settings, the game will actually display a text prompt like [Mechanical ticking] when a castellan is nearby. It’s basically a cheat code for your ears.
- The Map icon: Once you get close enough to a castellan, it actually appears on your map. If you think you heard it but can't see it, open your map and zoom in.
- Don't forget the Merchant: Sometimes the Merchant’s presence masks the ticking sound. If you see a purple flame, search the immediate 20-foot radius carefully.
- The "All at Once" Fallacy: You don't need to find all 16 in one single run. The game tracks them across your entire profile. If you missed the one in Chapter 5, you can start a New Game Plus, run straight to the Chief's Manor, break it, and then quit. It stays "found."
Finding all the clockwork castellan locations is one of those gaming tasks that feels like a chore until you’re halfway through, and then it becomes an obsession. The sound is distinctive. Once you train your ears to hear that specific wooden rattle, you'll start hearing it in your sleep.
Your Next Steps
- Check your Results menu: Go to the "Challenges" tab in the pause menu. Look for the "Revolutionary" challenge. It will show you exactly how many you have left.
- Upgrade your bolt thrower: If you want to be stealthy about breaking these without alerting enemies, the Bolt Thrower is perfect. No noise, no wasted gunpowder.
- Prioritize the Village Chief’s Attic: Seriously, go back and get that one if you missed it. It’s the most common "missing link" for players stuck at 15/16.
Once that 16th statue breaks, head to the Merchant in your next playthrough and start dumping your pesetas into that Primal Knife. You've earned it.