Hope Castle facts for kids
Hope Castle, also known as Blayney Castle, is an old house built in the 1700s. It stands in the town of Castleblayney, in County Monaghan, Ireland. Over many years, Hope Castle has been used for different things. It was a home, a military base, a hospital, and even a convent. Most recently, it was a hotel until a fire in 2010. The building is still there, but no one lives or works in it now.
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The Story of Hope Castle
Who Owned Hope Castle?
The land where Hope Castle stands was first given to Sir Edward Blayney in 1607. Sir Edward was a soldier from Wales. He built a strong stone castle, called Blayney Castle, on this land. The town of Castleblayney grew up around this first castle.
Sir Edward became the first Baron Blayney in 1621. A "Baron" is a noble title, like a lord. The Blayney family owned the estate for a long time. In 1641, rebels captured the castle. The Baron escaped, but his wife and children were taken.
In 1723, the 7th Baron Blayney sold some of the land. The house we see today, also called Blayney Castle, was built much later. It was built in the 1780s for The 11th Baron Blayney. He was a famous soldier who owned the land from 1784 to 1834.
Hope Family Takes Over
In 1853, the 12th Baron Blayney sold the whole estate. The new owner was a very rich man named Henry Thomas Hope. He made many changes to the building. The Hope family was a famous banking family from Scotland and the Netherlands. They were even known for owning the famous Hope Diamond.
It was under the Hope family that the castle got its new name: Hope Castle. This is the name it still has today. Henry Thomas Hope's daughter, Henrietta Adela Hope, later inherited the estate. She married an English Duke, The 6th Duke of Newcastle.
Hope Castle's Many Uses
From 1900 to 1904, Hope Castle was home to Prince Arthur, the son of Queen Victoria. He was a Field Marshal, a very high-ranking army officer. At that time, he was in charge of the British Army in Ireland.
The Hope family left the castle in 1916. After that, it was used as a military barracks from 1919 to 1921. This was during the War of Independence in Ireland.
Later, from 1932 to 1937, Hope Castle became the Monaghan County Hospital. Then, starting in 1942, it was a Franciscan Order Convent until the early 1970s. A convent is a place where nuns live and work.
After being a convent, Hope Castle was owned by private people. In the 1980s, the Monaghan County Council bought it. The Council rented the building to different people. The last person to rent it was a local businessman, Chris Haren. He was running it as a successful hotel.
A Timeline of Hope Castle
| Year | 1607 | 1784 | 1853 | 1900 | 1919–1921 | 1932–1937 | 1942-1970s | 1980 – Current |
| Owner/Use | Sir Edward Blayney | Andrew Thomas Blayney | Henry Thomas Hope | Duke of Connaught | Military Barracks | Monaghan Co. Hospital | Franciscan Order Convent | County Council |
The Fire at Hope Castle
In November 2010, a fire badly damaged Hope Castle. The fire started on the ground floor and quickly spread. It went through the bar and lounge areas, up the stairs, and into the rooms upstairs.
No one was in the building when the fire happened. However, many things inside the hotel were destroyed. This included furniture, decorations, and valuable old items. Police believed someone broke into the building and started the fire. No one was ever found responsible for the crime.
The Look of Hope Castle
Hope Castle was first built in the 1780s by The 11th Baron Blayney. It was later updated in 1799 by an Irish architect named Robert Woodgate. He designed it in the Georgian style.
The house has three floors and five sections. It is located near where the first castle stood. It was also repaired and decorated again during the Victorian Era. Some of its special features include decorations on the roof and a curved entrance. A glass porch and a fancy iron canopy were also added.
Around the castle, you can still see the old gate lodges, stables, and bath houses. These buildings add to the historical feel of the place. When the County Council took over, they fixed up the building. They also removed some of the 19th-century additions to the gardens.
Hope Castle is surrounded by green land and a forest. There is also a large lake nearby called the Black Island. Even though it's not used now, the building still has many bedrooms, a bar, and a restaurant area.
