Ashtown Castle facts for kids
Ashtown Castle (in Irish: Caisleán Bhaile an Ásaigh) is an old tower house located in the famous Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. It's a cool piece of history that was once hidden away!
Imagine finding a secret castle inside another building! That's exactly what happened with Ashtown Castle. It was discovered inside a much bigger, newer building called the Under Secretary's Lodge (also known as Ashtown Lodge). This larger building was used by the Papal Nuncio, who is like an ambassador for the Pope, until 1978.
The Lodge had some serious problems, like dry rot, and couldn't be fixed. So, when they started to take it down, they found the ancient castle hidden within its walls! Ashtown Castle has since been carefully restored. Today, it's a key part of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, where people can learn all about it.
A Castle with a History
Experts believe Ashtown Castle was first built around the 1430s. Back then, the government had a special offer: they would give £10 to anyone who built a castle to help keep themselves safe. Ashtown Castle was built to the right size to qualify for this offer.
Much later, in 1782, the castle became part of the larger Ashtown Lodge. This Lodge served as the official home for the Under-Secretary for Ireland, an important government official at the time.
Exploring the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre
Right next to Ashtown Castle, you'll find the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. This is a great place to start your visit! You can get lots of information about the park here.
The centre also has an interesting exhibition. It tells the story of Phoenix Park, going all the way back to 3500 BC up to today. After exploring the castle and the exhibition, you can grab a snack or a drink at the café located on the visitor centre grounds.
External Links
- Heritage Ireland
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Ashtown para niños
