Friday 11 October 2013

Mallow Castle a local treasure





The sixteenth fortified house may have been built by Sir Thomas Norreys, Lord President of Munster, before his death in 1599. After his death the house passed to his niece Elizabeth and her husband Sir John Jephson in 1607 and their descendants lived at Mallow Castle for almost 400 years. The house is a long rectangular three-storey building.






                                                            Polygonal  Tower



It has two polygonal towers on the north-west and south-west corners and wings project from the centre of the north and south walls. The entrance is in the northern wing. The towers and wings would have provided a field of fire around the entire house. The prominent windows are square-headed, mullioned and there are musket loops in the walls.  For more information click here Mallow Castle

           







This is the more recent castle which our local council bought for the people of Mallow . 
Allowing us to stroll and wander around it's beautiful  grounds.

( Originally a Fitzgerald stronghold, the Jephsons lived at Mallow from the early 17th century until the late 20th century. The castle was abandoned in the late 17th century and the stables converted into a dwelling house. This building was extended by the Jephsons in the 18th century and Wilson, writing in 1786, states "the seat of Denham Jephson which is greatly deserving of the notice of a traveller". Lewis refers to the rebuilding of the castle in 1837 by Sir Denham Jephson. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the buildings were valued at £80. Slater refers to it as the residence of Miss Norreys in 1894. Mallow Castle was sold by the Jephsons in 1984. )





My beloved Knockaroura seen from the castle grounds







                                   Curious old overgrown path







                        With a rustic view







             What a treasure to find on a Thursday stroll.






No comments: