Howth Castle
| Howth Castle | |
|---|---|
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Interactive map of the Howth Castle area | |
General information | |
| Status | Former private dwelling house |
| Type | Castle |
Architectural style | Various including Medieval defensive, Gothic, Georgian, Arts and Crafts |
| Location | Howth, Howth, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°23′10″N 6°04′46″W / 53.3862°N 6.0794°W |
| Groundbreaking | c. 1235 (wooden building) |
Construction started | 1300s |
| Technical details | |
| Material | limestone, Portland stone Georgian door and window surrounds |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Francis Bindon (1738) Richard Morrison (1810, gates) Francis Johnston (1825, minor alterations) Richard Morrison (1840, stables and other minor alterations) Joseph Maguire (1872, Gate lodge) |
| Developer | Various Lords, Barons and Earls of Howth |
| Other designers | James Hogan & Sons (1875, interior plasterwork) |
| Renovating team | |
| Architects | Edwin Lutyens (1910-11, tower, loggia, chapel, corridors) |
| Civil engineer | Frederick William Higginbotham (1910-11) |
| References | |
Howth Castle (/ˈhoʊθ/ HOHTH) is a historic dwelling, based on 14th and 15th century Anglo-Norman construction, that lies by the village of Howth, County Dublin, Ireland. It is sited within a substantial estate. The castle was the ancestral home of the St Lawrence family that had held the area since the 12th century Norman invasion, and the head of which held in time the titles of Lord Howth (a feudal barony) until circa 1425, Baron Howth to 1767, then Earl of Howth until 1909. The castle and estate were held by distaff heirs, the Gaisford-St Lawrence family, from 1909 to 2019, when they were sold to an investment group, Tetrarch.
The estate today still includes a major part of the peninsula of Howth Head, including extensive heathland and much of Howth's cliff walks, with views over Dublin Bay, light woodland, and the island of Ireland's Eye. On the grounds near the castle are golf courses, a hotel and gardens. There is also a collapsed portal tomb and several small streams pass through the estate.
In October 2018, the Gaisford St Lawrence family announced their agreement to sell the castle, demesne and Ireland's Eye to the Tetrarch investment group who intended to redevelop the hotel and course as a luxury resort. A 7-acre portion of the site zoned for residential development close to the castle gate was sold onwards by Tetrarch to Glenveagh Homes for €14m after the main sale closed. The contents of the castle, including most furniture, were sold at auction in 2021, with a separate auction of books and letters.