White Castle in Athy, Co Kildare has an asking price of €450k ($493k)
White Castle in Athy, Co Kildare is currently on the market and could be yours for less than $500k.
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Located in Athy’s town center on Duke Street, the 15th-century castle is situated on the banks of the River Barrow.
The White Castle in Co Kildare (CastleForSaleIreland.com)
White Castle's sellers say that the three-story, 14-room, 3,500 square foot property sits on about .3 acres of river fronted land.
The main entrance on the ground floor is through a gothic style cut stone arch and studded door that leads into the hallway and staircase. The ground floor has a spacious main room with barrelled ceiling that leads on to a hallway, off of which is a medium-sized room and two further small rooms (originally cells), as well as the rear entryway.
The first-floor hallway leads to two main rooms – including one very large room (previously two rooms), plus three further small cell rooms. The second floor has a similar layout to the first floor.
The roof may be accessed via a landing on a partial third floor. The perimeter of the roof affords magnificent views of the River Barrow.
A view from the roof of White Castle (The White Castle Athy, Facebook)
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Over the years, sash windows were installed to allow light to permeate the thick stoned-walled building. However, many of the original arrow-slit features remain throughout the castle.
Arrow-slit feature in The White Castle (The White Castle Athy, Facebook)
There are flagstones in the entrance hallway and throughout much of the ground floor, upper hallways and some of the rooms, other areas have wood flooring.
White Castle was an occupied private residence up until 2005. The previous owner (2005 – 2012) installed a new roof and stripped the interior of the castle back to stone and plaster ready for further renovations.
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The history of White Castle in Co Kildare
Of White Castle’s history, the sellers write: “The castle was built in 1417 by Sir John Talbot the Viceroy of Ireland to protect the newly built bridge over the River Barrow. Built into the wall on either side of the original doorway are two sculptured slabs indicating that the castle was previously owned by the Earl of Kildare, verified by his coat of arms to the right of the entrance doorway.
A commemorative plaque at White Castle (The White Castle Athy, Facebook)
“During the Irish Civil Wars, (1641-1658), White Castle was captured many times, with Confederate leader Owen Roe O'Neill occupying the castle in 1648 for three years. These factions were defeated when Oliver Cromwell and his army landed in Ireland later that year.
“In 1730, White Castle became the town gaol [jail] and remained in that role for the following 100 years. White Castle featured prominently during the 1798 Rebellion with many rebels imprisoned in the castle cells awaiting their execution in the town.
“Around 1802, the castle was extended on the north side doubling the size of the original tower. A further smaller extension was added to the north end in 1830 when the building was used as the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) police barracks. When a new prison was built in the town, the castle then evolved into the local police station and became home to the policemen and their families.
“The building was again renovated in the late 19th century, when the police station was moved elsewhere, at which point White castle became a private residence for the Talbot family. In the 1960s, descendants of the Talbots made White Castle their family home until 2005."
The White Castle (RollingNews.ie)
You can learn more about White Castle on its Facebook page and website.
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