Butler House, Kilkenny facts for kids
Butler House is a beautiful old building in Kilkenny, Ireland. It was built in the 1700s in a style called Georgian. This means it has a classic, grand look.
Originally, Butler House was a special home called a Dower house. This was a house where a widowed mother, often a noblewoman, would live after her son inherited the main family home, like a castle. Today, Butler House is a fancy 4-star hotel and a place for meetings and events.
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The Story of Butler House
Why was Butler House built?
Butler House was finished around 1786. It was built as the Dower house for Kilkenny Castle, a very important castle nearby. Walter Butler, 16th Earl of Ormonde had it built for his wife. The idea was that she would live there when their son, John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde, became the new Earl and took over the castle.
The first person to live in Butler House was Lady Eleanor Butler. Her daughter, also named Eleanor, later became famous as one of the "Ladies of Llangollen."
How did the house change over time?
In 1831, James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde, lived in Butler House. He was busy doing a lot of rebuilding work on Kilkenny Castle. The next year, in 1832, there was a serious illness called cholera in the area. The Butler family used the house to help people by giving out soup. Around this time, the house was also made much bigger.
Later, in the 1870s, a group called the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland used the house. This group is now known as the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.
What is Butler House today?
In 1965, a design group called the Kilkenny Design Workshops took over the castle grounds and Butler House. They gave the house a big update in the 1970s.
Then, in 1989, Butler House opened its doors as a hotel and conference center. It is now owned and managed by the Kilkenny Civic Trust. The beautiful gardens around the house were also brought back to their original glory in the year 2000.
What does Butler House look like?
Butler House is a great example of Georgian architecture. It has three main sections and three floors, plus a basement. On the east side, facing a walled garden, there are two rounded sections that go up the full height of the house. This garden is right next to the Kilkenny Castle grounds and stables.
Even though it's a modern hotel, Butler House has kept many of its old features. The rooms still have their historic charm, showing off the building's long past.
