Location: Paulstown, County Kilkenny Map
Shankill Castle is located in Paulstown, County Kilkenny in Ireland.
History of Shankill castle
The first Shankill castle was built by the aristocratic Butler
family in 1450. Then the castle was repeatedly rebuilt and turned
from a defensive structure into a country residence of an
aristocrat. At first, the castle was a tower that stood near the
Church. Now only ruins remain of the Church. Peter Aylward bought
the surrounding land from the Butler family – he was married to a
woman from the Butler family. The purchase took place in 1708. Peter
Aylward rebuilt the castle, arranged and ennobled the surrounding
land, opened canals. In the XIX century Shankill castle was
expanded, the battlements were completed, made a sundial near the
castle. Large restoration work in the castle was carried out in
1828. Then the porch was arranged in a Gothic style with the arms of
the family Aylward, was laid out a winter garden. The construction
of the gate, yard is attributed to the architect Daniel Robertson.
Some of the buildings are attributed to the architect William
Robertson (1770-1850). The interior of the castle has retained the
flavor of the XVIII century, includes stairs built in the Georgian
style, Gothic stucco, living room in the Victorian style. The castle
is associated with the Flood family, a family of sports that have
been associated with sir Libercom Butler.
Toler family of Aylward is considered a branch of the family Butler.
The family lived in the castle until 1991, some relatives
Toler-Islwardiv still live in County Kilkenny. The artist Elizabeth
cope lived at Shankill castle.
About the castle there are a number of legends like that in the
castle and around it – in the cemetery of the XI century he had
repeatedly seen the ghosts. They tell the legend of the "Murder at
the Last supper", which was obviously a fiction and did not have any
historical events.
The history of the Park Shankill
The Park around Shankill castle was laid out in the 18th century.
Preserved old exotic trees and lawns, arranged in the XIX century.
Among the old trees there are giant redwoods, old ash trees. Such
trees were popular in parks in the Victorian era. The Park has a
rose garden, coniferous trees brought from faraway Alaska, a spring
garden, a flower garden that blooms throughout the year. There are
hedges, arch of live Apple trees, Tulip flower garden, sculptures.
The Park has 3 known trees included in the register of trees of
Ireland-giant Sequoia, two cypress large-fruited.