Barberstown Castle

Barberstown Castle

 

Location: Straffan, County Kildare Map

Constructed: 1288

Official site

 

Barberstown Castle is a medieval tower house in Straffan, County Kildare in Ireland. Barberstown Castle was erected in 1288. Barberstone Castle was built by Nicholas Barbie in 1288. For some time the castle was owned by the Fitzgerald feudal lords. In 1630, William Sutton, the representative of one of the most powerful aristocratic families in the lands of Kildare, became the owner of the Barberstone Castle. In 1689, in Ireland there was a war of two kings. Barberstone Castle at that time belonged to Lord Kingston. The castle was confiscated from him by the Earl of Tirkonnell under the pretext that Lord Kingston supported the King of England, James II, who at that time was deposed from the throne and waged war on the territory of Ireland. The castle was taken over by the crown - the castle was ruled by the royal income commissioners. At the end of the XVII century the castle was owned by Roger Kelly. Then the castle changed hands many times. Among the owners at that time was Bartholomew Wangomrai, who bought the castle for 1,033 pounds in 1703, along with 335 acres of land around it. He was Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1697 and was the father of Vasenessa, Jonathan Swift's mistress. Bartholomew Wangomrai sold the castle to the Henry family. This family then had financial problems and sold the castle to Hugh Barton, a winemaker from the Barton and Gvestir families. From attached to the castle a new wing in 1830. In addition to completing the castle, he also built Straffan House, where there is a famous club.

In the XX century, the castle was owned by the Gaddleston family. They sold the castle to Mrs. Norah Devlin, which turned it into a hotel in 1971. In 1979, Eric Clapton acquired the castle. In 1987, he sold it to its owner - Ken Gilly, who still lives in the castle. Ken Gilly repaired the castle, completed in the castle 10 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and up to 59 bedrooms, which were already there. The castle has become a 4-star hotel.

 

History

Nicholas Barby had the castle built around 1288 on land owned by the FitzGerald family. In 1630 the estate belonged to William Sutton, a member of one of the most important families in the area.

In 1689, after the accession of King James II of England, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell confiscated Barberstown Castle from Lord Kingston. Then it came into the possession of the Commissioners of the Revenue, who leased it to Roger Kelly in the late 17th century. It passed through a number of hands at the turn of the century, including Bartholomew Vanhomrigh, who bought it with 135 hectares of land in 1703 for £1033. Vanhomrigh had been Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1697 and was the father of Vanessa Vanhomrigh, Jonathan Swift's mistress. He sold the castle to the Henrys who, due to financial difficulties, had to sell it to Hugh Barton of the Barton and Guestier wine family. He had the last wing of the house built in the 1830s.

In the 20th century the Buddlestons sold it to Mrs Norah Devlin, who had it converted into a hotel in 1971. Eric Clapton bought the property in 1979 and resold it in 1987 to the current owner, Ken Healy, who lives there. Healy has converted the 10 bed, three bathroom guest house into a 4 star, 59 room hotel recommended by Fáilte Ireland.