Johnstown Castle
| Johnstown Castle | |
|---|---|
| Native name Irish:Caisleán Bhaile Sheáín | |
 | |
| Type | Castle |
| Location | Johnstown,Murntown,County Wexford,Ireland |
| Coordinates | 52°17′39″N6°30′20″W/ 52.294042°N 6.505436°W |
| Built | late 12th century (original building) 1836–1872 (current building) |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic Revival |
| Owner | Irish Heritage Trust |
  Location of Johnstown Castle in Ireland | |
Johnstown Castleis aGothic Revivalcastle located inCounty Wexford,Ireland.[1][2][3]
Location[edit]
Johnstown Castle is located on the Johnstown Castle Estate, a 150 acres (61 ha) estate, located off the road betweenMurntownandRathaspeck,5.5 km (3.4 mi) southwest ofWexfordtown.
History[edit]
The first castle built on the estate was atower housebuilt in the late 12th century by the Esmonde family,Normanswho came to southeast Ireland fromLincolnshirein the 1170s after theNorman invasion of Ireland(1169).[4]They also built a tower house, which still stands, at Rathlannon immediately to the south.[5]
Oliver Cromwellspent a night on the estate in 1649, prior to the October 1649Sack of Wexford.HisRoundheadarmy used the land around Johnstown Castle to prepare. The Esmondes, Catholics, were expelled during the Cromwellian years.
Johnstown Castle was bought by the Grogan family in 1692.
OwnerCornelius Groganwas hanged for his part in the1798 Rebellion;he had beencommissary-generalfor theUnited Irishmen.[6]In 1810 the estate was restored to his brother John Knox Grogan, who, with his son, Hamilton Knox Grogan-Morgan, created Johnstown Castle as it stands today, on the "bones" of the Norman tower house.[7][8]Daniel Robertsondesigned theGothic Revivalcastle and parts of the surrounding land.[9]By 1863, the demesne was divided in two, with adeer parkin the north and the castle,pleasure grounds,farm and twoartificial lakesto the south.[10]By 1836–1872 the building was finished.[11]
The Grogans later married into the ancientFitzGerald family.
During theFirst World War,Royal Naval Air Serviceairshipswere based at Johnstown Castle, and were primarily used to deal with theU-boatthreat, but with limited success.[12]
Lady Maurice FitzGerald(née Lady Adelaide Jane Frances Forbes, 1860–1942), wife of Lord Maurice FitzGerald (son ofCharles FitzGerald, 4th Duke of Leinster), was the last owner to live in the house.[13]
Following the death of Lady Maurice in November 1942, the Johnstown Estate was inherited by her grandson, Maurice Victor Lakin.[14]He looked to dispose of the Estate and it came to the attention of Wexford County Manager TD Sinnott who recommended that the Minister for Agriculture,James Ryan,acquire the castle for the purpose as an agricultural college.
On 1 May 1944, the contents of the castle were sold off at a public auction lasting five days and conducted by Jackson Stops & McCabe.[15]On 17 October 1945, the Johnstown Castle Agricultural College Act was ratified and the castle and Estate were formally handed over to the State by the family in lieu of death duties.[16]
The castle was taken over by the Department of Agriculture (later An Foras Talúntais from 1959 andTeagascfrom 1988) and used for research into soils with laboratories created in the castle. It opened to the public in 2019 following a period of renovation. It is managed by theIrish Heritage Trustunder curator Matt Wheeler, and work on conserving and restoring the building continues.[17]
Castle[edit]
-
Frontal view -
Terrace with statues -
Castle reflected in the lake -
Lake andrhododendrons
A Gothic Revival castle of 4 storeys. Interior goods include the "Apostles' Hall", with wood carvings of saints, as well as oil paintings, carved oak hall benches,mahoganybilliard tables,dressing tables, upholstered sofas, fire grates andbrassfenders.[citation needed]
A servants' tunnel, 86 metres (282 ft) in length, runs from the meat house to the kitchens.[18]
The former stable yard houses theIrish Agricultural Museum.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^"Johnstown Castle".
- ^Gaul, Liam (3 November 2014).Johnstown Castle: A History: A History.The History Press.ISBN9780750959018– via Google Books.
- ^Gerrard, David (6 February 2004).The Hidden Places of Ireland.Travel Publishing Ltd.ISBN9781904434108– via Google Books.
- ^Sheehy, Terence (6 November 1986).Journey through Ireland.Gallery Books.ISBN9780831752613– via Google Books.
- ^Lewis, Samuel (6 February 1840)."A topographical dictionary of Ireland: comprising the several counties, cities, boroughs corporate, market, and post towns, parishes and villages...: With an appendix describing the electoral boundaries of the several bouroughs as defined by the act of the 2d. and 3d. of William IV".Lewis – via Google Books.
- ^Richards, Elizabeth (6 February 1999).The Diary of Elizabeth Richards (1798-1825): From the Wexford Rebellion in Ireland to Family Life in the Netherlands.Uitgeverij Verloren.ISBN9789065501691– via Google Books.
- ^"Johnstown Castle opens to the public for the first time next month - here's a sneak preview".independent.
- ^Wallace, Arminta."Restoration drama at Wexford's fairy tale Johnstown Castle".The Irish Times.
- ^"Johnstown Castle".3 June 2014.
- ^"Johnstown Castle Estate".www.discoverireland.ie.
- ^"Capturing the castle: Johnstown Castle in County Wexford is well worth checking out".www.irishexaminer.com.24 June 2019.
- ^Furlong, Nicholas and John Hayes.County Wexford in the Rare Oul' Times. Vol. IV. 1910–1924.Wexford: Old Distillery Press, 2005.ISBN0-9512812-3-2,
- ^"Take a tour of Wexford's Johnstown Castle - opening to the public in Spring 2019".www.irishexaminer.com.1 September 2018.
- ^"Lady Maurice Fitzgerald".New Ross Standard.20 November 1942. p. 4.
- ^"Sales By Auction".New Ross Standard.21 April 1944. p. 1.
- ^"Irish Statute Book".
- ^"Irish Times".The Irish Times.25 August 2018.
- ^"About".Johnstown Castle.
External links[edit]
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