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.
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.