Mallow Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mallow Castle |
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| Location | Bridewell Lane, Mallow, County Cork, Ireland |
| Built | 1500s |
| Reference no. | 281 |
Mallow Castle is an amazing old building in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland. It's considered a National Monument, which means it's a very important historical site. You can find it on Bridewell Lane, just off the N72 road.
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Exploring Mallow Castle's Buildings
The Mallow Castle site covers about 33 acres (13 hectares) of gardens and parkland. On this land, you'll find three main structures. These include the remains of a strong house built in the 1500s. There's also a large mansion from the 1800s to the north. Finally, you can see the ruins of an even older castle from the 1200s to the east.
The Fortified House
The fortified house is a long, rectangular building with three floors. It has two cool, many-sided towers at its northwest and southwest corners. This house was built in an early Jacobean style. This means it has tall, pointed gables and steps on its roof edges. It also features special windows with stone bars called mullions.
The house was designed so that people inside could shoot arrows or guns in every direction around it. This made it very hard for attackers to get close.
The 19th-Century Mansion
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Near the older castle ruins stands a large mansion from the 1800s. Some parts of this building actually date back to the 1690s. This grand house has eight main rooms for entertaining guests. These include a music room, a billiard room, and a library. It also has 12 bedrooms!
A Look at Mallow Castle's History
The very first castle in Mallow was built in 1185. This happened because King John ordered it. Later, in 1282, the castle became owned by the Earls of Desmond.
Changes in Ownership
After some wars called the Geraldine Wars, the English Queen Elizabeth I took control of the estate. She then gave it to Sir Thomas Norrey. He also received the title of Lord of Mallow and about 6,000 acres of land around it. The old Desmond Castle was in very bad shape. So, a new castle was built on the same spot in 1585.
The Jephson Family and Conflicts
The strong house we see today was built in the 1500s. Many believe Sir Thomas Norreys built it. He was an important leader in Munster and died in 1599. After he passed away, his daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Sir John Jephson, inherited the house. Their family, the Jephsons, lived in Mallow for almost 400 years!
The house faced attacks during wars. In 1642, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret, tried to capture it, but he failed. However, in 1645, James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven, successfully took the house.
Later, during the Williamite War, the house was badly damaged by fire. Because of this, the Jephson family left it. They then built their new mansion on the site where the old castle's stables used to be.
Mallow Castle Today
The fortified house was officially made a National Monument in 1928. This means it's protected as an important historical site. In 1984, Commander Maurice Jephson sold the mansion to the McGinn family. Since 2011, Cork County Council has owned the castle and its grounds.
