Europe · Ireland · County Carlow
Huntington Castle & Gardens
The story
History of Huntington Castle & Gardens
Huntington Castle, also known as Clonegal Castle, is a castle in Clonegal, County Carlow, Ireland, built in 1625.
Ireland · County Carlow
- Built
- 17th century
- Era
- Renaissance
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- County Carlow
- UNESCO
- —
- Coordinates
- 52.690, -6.649
In depth
The fuller history
The original tower house, which was used as a "plantation castle" during the plantation of that area in the early 17th century, was built in the 15th century as a stronghold for the Caviness family, an old Irish clan. Due to the strategic importance of the village of Clonegal during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland because of its location on the road between Dublin and Wexford, the castle was captured and used as a garrison by Oliver Cromwell as he marched on Kilkenny in 1650. The house was extended circa 1880 to include a seven bay two storey wing.
Key dates
- 1625Huntington Castle, also known as Clonegal Castle, is a castle in Clonegal, County Carlow, Ireland, built in 1625.
- 1650Due to the strategic importance of the village of Clonegal during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland because of its location on the road between Dublin and Wexford, the castle was captured and used as a garrison by…
- 1880The house was extended circa 1880 to include a seven bay two storey wing.
- 1888A lake at the bottom of the wilderness was built for ornamental purposes but next to it is one of the earliest water turbine houses in Ireland, providing Huntington with its own electricity as early as 1888.
- 1933The house and grounds were redecorated by Manning Durdin Robertson in 1933 in a modern style including a new boat house, removal of battlements and reconstruction of the gateway.
- 1976Its basement has been the base of a religion, the Fellowship of Isis, since 1976, The castle hosted the Solas Festival in August 2008, co-founded by Olivia Robertson, her brother Lawrence Durdin-Robertson and his wife…
Historical summary drawn from Wikipedia. Read the full article.
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