Strancally Castle facts for kids
Strancally Castle is a cool country house located in County Waterford, Ireland. It sits right next to the River Blackwater, not far from the town of Youghal in County Cork. It's a place with a long and interesting story!
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What is Strancally Castle?
Strancally Castle isn't a traditional stone fortress. It's more like a large, fancy house built in the style of a castle. It has a rich history, with parts of it dating back hundreds of years.
The First Castle: A Mysterious Past
The very first Strancally Castle was built a long, long time ago by a person named Raymond le Gros. There's an old story about this first castle. It's said that some Spanish people once lived there. The story goes that they invited local landowners to a big dinner. But then, they supposedly dropped them through a secret trapdoor into a flooded cave! When people found out about this scary secret, the Spanish were forced out, and that first castle was destroyed.
The New Castle: A Grand Design
The castle you see today is not the original one. It was designed and built around 1830. Two architects, James and George Richard Pain, created it for a man named John Keily. John Keily was an important person; he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Clonmel, which means he helped make laws for the area. He was also the High Sheriff of County Waterford in 1819–20, a role that involved keeping law and order. This newer castle stands right in front of the old ruins of the original Desmond castle.
New Owners and Changes Over Time
In 1856, a young man named George Whitelocke Lloyd bought the castle and its huge estate, which was about 5,000 acres! He was only 24 years old and came from a wealthy family that made things. Like John Keily, George also became the High Sheriff of Waterford a few years later, in 1859–60. His son, William Whitelocke Lloyd, grew up to be an army officer. He even fought in a war called the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 and was a talented artist.
Eventually, the castle and its land were taken over by the Irish Land Commission. This group sold off most of the land in smaller pieces. Finally, they sold the house itself with about 160 acres of land still attached to it.
