Slade Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slade Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán an tSlaoid |
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| Type | tower house |
| Location | Slade, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford, Ireland |
| Area | Hook Peninsula |
| Height | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Built | early 16th century |
| Owner | State |
| Official name: Slade Castle | |
| Reference no. | 429 |
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Slade Castle is an old tower house in County Wexford, Ireland. It's also a special National Monument, which means it's protected because of its history. This castle has stood for hundreds of years, watching over the coast.
Contents
Where is Slade Castle?
Slade Castle is found in a small village called Slade. It's right near the end of the Hook Peninsula in Ireland. It's only about 1.7 kilometers (a little over a mile) northeast of the famous Hook Lighthouse. The castle's location was important for keeping an eye on the sea.
History of Slade Castle
Who built the castle?
The first part of Slade Castle was built by the Laffin (or Laffan) family. They started building it in the late 1400s. Later, in the 1500s, they added a strong two-story hall. They also added special battlements called crenellations to the top. The Laffin family didn't own a huge amount of land, only about 86 hectares (212 acres). This makes historians think they probably earned money from fishing or trading to pay for the castle.
What happened to the castle?
The Laffin family lost Slade Castle after a big event called the 1641 Rebellion. For a long time after that, the castle was used for storage. It held supplies for a nearby salt works, where salt was made.
In the 1800s, the castle was changed into homes for people to live in. These were like small apartments. But in the 1940s, the Office of Public Works took over the castle. They worked hard to restore it and make it look like it did in its earlier days.
Exploring the Castle Building
The Tower House
The oldest part of Slade Castle is its tall, four-story tower. The ground floor and the third floor have strong, arched ceilings called vaulted ceilings. At the very top, there are Irish-style crenellations on the parapet. From here, you can get amazing views of Bannow Bay and Waterford Harbour. These views were very important for defending the castle.
The main entrance to the tower was well protected. It had a machicolation, which was a hole in the floor above the door. This allowed defenders to drop things on attackers. It also had a murder-hole for extra protection. Inside, on the second floor, you can still see a fireplace and a garderobe (an old toilet). The three rooms on the ground floor couldn't be reached from the living areas above. They were probably used as warehouses to store goods.
The Hall
Next to the tower is a two-story hall. Its entrance was also protected by a murder-hole. Inside the hall, there's a large fireplace at one end. There's also an oubliette in one of the walls. An oubliette was a secret dungeon that was hard to get out of. A hidden mural staircase (a staircase built into the wall) leads up to the hall's upper floor.
Images for kids
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Another view of the castle, with many arrowslits.
