Howth Castle
Howth Castle (/ˈhoʊθ/ HOHTH) and estate lie just outside the village of Howth, County Dublin in Ireland, in the administration of Fingal County Council. The castle was the ancestral home of the line of the St Lawrence family (see: Earl of Howth) that had held the area since the Norman Invasion of 1180, and held the title of Lord of Howth until circa 1425, the Baron Howth to 1767, then Earl of Howth until 1909. The castle and estate are held since 1909 by their distaff heirs, the Gaisford-St Lawrence family.
| Howth Castle | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Private dwelling house |
| Type | Castle |
| Architectural style | Various including Medieval defensive, Gothic, Georgian, Arts and Crafts |
| Address | Howth |
| Town or city | Howth, County Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53.3863°N 6.0790°W |
| Groundbreaking | c1235 |
| Technical details | |
| Material | limestone, Portland stone Georgian door and window surrounds |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | 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 | |
| Architect(s) | Edwin Lutyens (1910-11, tower, loggia, chapel, corridors) |
| Civil engineer | Frederick William Higginbotham (1910-11) |
| References | |
The estate includes much 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, pitch and putt and footgolf facilities, a former hotel, formal gardens and a pond, rhododendron walks - and several small streams pass through the estate.
In October 2018, the 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 sale closed.