Castleboro House

Well, hardly great photography. But I do have a pretty passionate interest in history and architecture. I'd been living about a five minute drive from this place for over a year (and Dave many more!) and driving/riding right past it. It's sitting there in a big open field, but is very well hidden unless you know where to look. I first spotted it while strolling down a lane nearby with the dogs.
Awe-inspiring is not the word. This place is enormous - and completely chilling, if I'm being honest. The land around it is rather creepy, and there are various gate lodges/outer building that are straight out of a gothic novel. The architecture is apparently unique in Ireland, and the house is listed on various US sites as one of the most haunted places in the world! The land our house is on was once part of the estate.




The underground passages travel out under the farmland. I've been tempted to have a look, but the area is rather unstable. Pity it is all rotting away.




The house was once famous for these grand steps and fountain.






Apologies for the sheer volume of photos

It's a pity when you see great houses like that get into such a state.

It has been through two fires, firstly in 1840. It was rebuilt and burnt again in the 1920's during the Troubles.
It is privately owned and the state of repair has been deteriorating year after year. The yard is still in working order, however!
There are a couple of delapitated great houses close by. Coolbawn House in Rathnure, and of course Loftus Hall on Hook Head
I tried riding down by Castleboro House, but no horse I've had will go near it. Strange...I've nearly been killed trying to get two of my horses to walk up the back lane to the place!

When you moving in Lisa?

awsome looking house,must have been a great site in its day.

With the ghost of Lady Carew floating around the place, I think I'll leave it be
Seriously though, this place is creepy. I get the willies driving near it now!

And how did I ever think it was a good idea to dye my hair that colour...

Nice pics of a nice spot Lisa - I love old places like that, although once the gorse and ivy get hold you know its downhill from there. Shame to see such a nice and grand building going to ruin, especially with quirks like underground passageways.

I'm a fan of Gothic / Gothic Revival architecture and a teensy bit of Tudor too (not much good pseudo-Tudor architecture around in Ireland though). A good friend lives in Hereford and we usually drive through the west and southern counties - plenty of original Tudor and medieval Gothic architecture there!

I'm definitely a Gothic fan for sure. I'm a big fan of quirky architects also, who didn't follow the general architecture of their times, but didn't create a new movement either!
Definitely plenty of Tudor-esque stuff around the UK. I'm always draggin Dave around looking at Tudor style buildings in Gloucester and Cheltanham

I just love old, unusual buildings.

One of my favourite places in the world is Barcelona, and it's all down to Gaudi

Not that I've travelled much, but a trip to Cologne Cathedral a few years ago was the architectural highlight for me so far. Germany has a lot of hidden treasures from the medieval Gothic period, that the 2 World Wars didn't nuke by chance. One day I'll make it to Note Dame and run through a camera battery with all my photo-taking LOL. Truly medieval Gothic stuff really grabs my attention as its soooo old, but the Victorian Gothic Revival produced quite a lot of very nice architecture too - and it was mostly down to A.W.N. Pugin who masterminded the movement.

I guess we're lucky that we live in a part of the World with a long history of habitation that is still with us....so many old houses and castles, churches, cathedrals etc.

Another thing that really grabs my interest is ancient woodland - theres so little of it left in Ireland but what is still here is like something out of a kid's story book. Have you ever visited Tomnafinnogue Wood in Wicklow? Its one of the few remaining semi-native oakwoods in the Southeast and its an incredible place for wildlife. (slightly off topic there but sure).

I definitely ned to get back around Europe. Last time I did some serious travelling, it was inter-railing with college pals and not everyone was bothered with architecture/museums etc - the things I always make a point of visiting!

Pugin - We have our very own cathedral of his here in Enniscorthy. When you see something everyday, you tend to stop niticing it. Then I see tourists stopping to take pics, and I look at it again

I love cathedrals actually...although I'm not religious at all. Gloucester Cathedral is absolutely magnificent, although there is a lot of Romanesque stuff going on and that doesn't usually interest me quite as much as some other movements.

Have you read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett? Get it if not! It's been on tv recently as well, and it was good (an actor acquaintance of mine was in it!), but you obviously don't get the architectural detail that is presented in the book.

Tomnafinnogue Wood? Not sure actually, although I've spent a lot of time in wicklow woodland with the threatre group - we're a bunch of forest fairies!

Ohhh, next time I'm down in the Southeast I'll have to check out that catherdral at Enniscorthy. I wasn't too far from there in the summer....bummer.

Haven't made it to Gloucester cathedral yet, mainly passing through Gloucester heading farther south, but Hereford Cathedral is a regular haunt (apart from the fact a Black Redstart hangs around there each winter - Raymond will know what I mean here LOL). Romanseque bores me to be honest, if it ain't got the lancet windows and pointy arches I lose interest very quickly LOL. I guess I'm a sucker for all things German.....they don't do things by half after all.

I'm not a great reader anymore so haven't read Follet, have a few books on the Gothic Revival and such but they are mainly dip-in and dip-out references jobbies.

Yeah Tomnafinnogue Wood is very near Tinahely, south Wicklow. Theres a host of other semi-native woods down there but Tomnafinnogue is one of the nicer ones.

You should have dropped in for a cuppa also! We're only 10/15 mins outside Enniscorthy.

I read books like there is no tomorrow. Pillars is actually a novel (a big brick of a novel), but it is based around the building of a cathedral and the move from Romanesque to Gothic architecture. Doesn't sound all too fascinating, but it is an incredible piece of work, and full of information you don't even realise you are taking in.

Glos Cathedral is well worth a stop in. I know what you mean about Romanesque style buildings, but this place is ancient and alive with history - famous tombs, fabulous sculptures etc. And there are a lot of alaborate additions from the Gothic period. Including the main perpendicular gothic tower! The place is like a time line, pieces added on over time etc. It is just magnificent.
And there is just so much history attached to it.
Plus some scenes were shot there for various harry Potter films

I know tinaheley well. Used to do a lot with the riding club up there. Must look into that woods some more as i may know it, just not the name.