Anybody who is fascinated by Irish history – or loves the idea of living in the Irish countryside – might be interested in a Knockabbey Castle.
The beautiful property in Co Louth was put up for sale in 2016 for a cool €1.6m.
Different parts of Knockabbey Castle have their own individual characteristics as it dates from three distinct eras.
It features styles from the Gothic era, which can be found immediately behind the main hall. It includes a galleried staircase, tiled floors and an ornate stained glass roof light. The family room has oak floors and a stone fireplace.
The Queen Anne section of the castle includes a drawing room and a spacious staircase hall. The drawing room includes a walnut floor, pitch pine columns, and white marble fireplace.
The castle is off the beaten track and is located deep into the countryside. This means there are great views of the stunning gardens in the ample space that surrounds it.
The gardens have undergone a major restoration since 1998. They contain a magnificent array of specimen trees including one of the biggest tulip trees in the country. There is also a stunning and important selection of historical water features.
The third era represented in the style of the castle is Victorian. This can be found in the gardens where there is a Victorian style glass house by the flower garden.
Take a look inside:
The castle was built as a simple square tower house in 1399 by the Bellew family. The Bellews originally called it Thomastown Castle and it belonged to them for centuries. They enlarged the castle with a with a six bay, three storey Queen Anne extension in 1650.
The O’Reillys gave the castle its current name – Knockabbey Castle and redeveloped the house and grounds.
Miles O’Reilly built a new house on the grounds but it was destroyed by the IRA in 1923 – the O’Reillys rebuilt it two years later.
The O’Reillys owned the castle until 1998. The current owner has spent nearly two decades restoring the house and gardens to their former glory, with the help of a team of experts.
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Written by Andrew Moore
