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- Castle Durrow House as seen today
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Castle Durrow House
Castle
Durrow Hotel in County Laois is a piece of Irish history embodied in stone. As a
building, its massive solidity is combined with an old-world charm and elegance
that is distinctive and attractive. It is the creation of an Anglo-Irish
landlord family, a relic of an age that has vanished forever. Castle Durrow is
the first country house of importance that still stands in close to its original
condition and is one of the few 18th century houses for which precise building
records survive.
Built by earlier generations of Durrow inhabitants, the legacy of Castle
Durrow is its unique sense of proportion, restrained good taste, and a
spaciousness that has largely disappeared from present-day living. Complex
traditions unite at Castle Durrow – it was built and lived in during a period of
high taste and high culture.
Formerly the home of the Flower family, Barons Castle Durrow and Viscounts
Ashbrook, it was built in the early 18th century (1712 – 1715) when domestic
architecture in Ireland was developing an independence of the need for defence
and economy that had characterised earlier construction.
The construction began after the Cromwellian and Williamite wars; this
resulted in a new Protestant aristocracy that was beginning to enjoy the lands
that they had inherited. The fashion of this new era dictated that inherited
land should now separate the burden of agriculture from that of class, and
create elegant mansions that could not in any way resemble the farmhouse type
buildings of the previous age.
Colonel William Flower commenced with the construction of the Manor in 1712.
The Flower family assumed residency of Castle Durrow in 1716 and continued to
expand and improve their Estate on various occasions during their 214-year
reign. Past research indicates that the Ashbrooks were generally regarded as
benevolent landlords and of course the largest employers of Durrow Village.
In 1922 the banks finally foreclosed and the Flower family was forced to
relocate back to Britain. Subsequently, the property was sold to Mr. Maher of
Freshford, Co Kilkenny who was primarily interested in the rich timber reserves
of the Estate. By 1928 the old hard wood forests of Durrow were scarce.
Eventually the Land Commission divided up the arable portions of the property
and the Forestry Department took over many of the woods for further plantation.
During this time the great manor house which stood in a commanding position near
the town overlooking the beautiful River Erkina remained entirely empty for a
few years. The Bank of Ireland acquired the town and consequently for the next
40 years house property in Durrow was purchased from that bank.
In 1929 with the Bishop’s approval the Parish of Durrow acquired the Estate
for the purchase price of £1800 and Castle Durrow was transformed into a school,
St Fintan’s College and Convent. The advent of a school at Castle Durrow was
testimony to the fact that beautiful buildings of the past could be used in the
modern world.
Source:
http://www.castledurrow.com/history-page.html
A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by
Samuel Lewis 1837
DURROW
DURROW, or CASTLE-DURROW, a market and post-town, and a parish, partly in the
barony of UPPER OSSORY, QUEEN'S county, but chiefly in that of GALMOY, county of
KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 12 miles (S. by E.) from Maryborough, and 54
(S.W.) from Dublin, on the road from Athy to Cashel; containing 2911
inhabitants, of which number 1298 are in the town. This parish comprises 6843
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; three-fourths of the land are
arable and pasture, about 1000 acres woodland, and 300 bog. The town, which is
on the bank of the river Erkin, contains 236 houses forming a square, many of
which are well-built and slated. It is included in the county of Kilkenny for
civil purposes, but is completely surrounded by Queen's county, of which it
formed a part until the Earl of Ormonde, by act of parliament, procured its
annexation to Kilkenny. Malt is made here, and there is a large boulting-mill.
The market is held on Friday in the market-house; and fairs are held on the
second Thursday (O.S.) in May, Aug., and Nov., and Feb. 2nd, March 4th, April
16th, July 3rd, and Oct. 8th. It is a constabulary police station, and has a
dispensary. Petty sessions are held on alternate Fridays. Adjoining the town is
Castle-Durrow, a large ancient mansion belonging to Viscount Ashbrook, from
which he takes the title of Baron. Here are also Donmore, the residence of the
Staples family; Moyne, of R. Hamilton Stubber Esq.; and Castlewood, of R.
Lawrenson, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, and in the
gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Canice's, Kilkenny; the rectory is
appropriate to the economy estate of the cathedral. The tithes amount to £360,
of which £240 is payable to the lessee under the economy estate, and £120 to the
vicar. There is a glebe-house, with a glebe of more than 18 acres. A cattle show
was established here, in 1801, by the Midland Farming Society. The church is a
large building, with a tower and spire, and has recently been repaired by the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, at an expense of £738. In the R. C. divisions part
of the parish is in the union or district of Ballyragget, and the remainder with
Aghamacart forms the district of Durrow, in which is a chapel. The Wesleyan
Methodists have a meeting house in the town. The parochial school is aided by
Lord Ashbrook and the incumbent, and an infants' school is supported by an
annual donation of £52 from Mrs. Walker. About 70 children are educated in these
schools, about 180 in four private schools, and there is also a Sunday school.
At Callohill, on the estate of Lord Carbery, are the ruins of a castle. A
monastery once existed at Durrow, but its history is unknown; and at
Ballynasleigh was a large altar, or cromlech, which was destroyed in a search
for money, also another cromlech and some enclosures and pits.
Source:
http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/
