Coppinger's Court facts for kids
Coppingers Court is an old, ruined house that was once a strong, fortified home. It was built way back in 1616, almost 400 years ago! You can find it on private land, not far from the sea, in County Cork, Ireland. Sir Walter Coppinger built this unique house. It has a main rectangular part with two wings on each side, making it look like it has nine pointy roofs, called gables.
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The Story of Coppingers Court
Building a Grand Home
Sir Walter Coppinger bought the land where Coppingers Court stands from its previous owner. He had big plans for this area! He wanted to turn the land around his new house into a busy market town. He even thought about changing the nearby Rowry river into a canal so boats could travel from Milcove right to his new town.
Sir Walter finished building his house in 1616. At first, it was known as "Ballyverine Castle."
Why the House Became a Ruin
Sir Walter Coppinger passed away in 1639. Sadly, his big plans for the area never fully came true. Just a few years later, in 1641, the house was attacked during a time of rebellion in Ireland. It was badly damaged by fire.
Even though Sir Walter had sons, his brother, Dominic, took over the property. The house was never fixed up after the fire. Over the years, it slowly fell into the ruins we see today. Later, in 1698, a man named Thomas Beecher bought the land.
What Did Coppingers Court Look Like?
Coppingers Court was built in a style called Elizabethan. This was a popular way to build houses in Ireland in the 1600s. These new fortified houses were different from older, colder castles. They were designed to be more comfortable, warmer, and brighter inside. They often had wooden stairs, better windows, and more rooms for people to live in.
At the time it was built, Coppingers Court was considered one of the most beautiful and impressive fortified houses. People even said it had "a chimney for every month, a door for every week and a window for every day of the year"! This saying shows just how grand and well-designed it was.
