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Castle Tower in Ardlui in Blackrock

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  • 14-12-2010 11:13pm
    #1
    HavingCrack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭


    Hey does anyone know what that medieval looking tower is in the back garden of a house in Ardlui off Newtownpark Ave in Blackrock?? You can see it from a couple of spots in the area and I've always wondered what it is??

    I've looked in all the local history books but can't seem to find a reference to it?


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    #2
    Ron DMC
    Registered Users Posts: 5,297 ✭✭✭Ron DMC


    [URL=http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dublin,+County+Fingal,+Ireland&ll=53.282191,-6.184235&spn=0.000747,0.002642&t=h&z=19[/URL]This[/URL] it?

    Doesn't look more than a few hundred years old to be honest. A friend of mine lives in Ardlui and I've never heard them even mention it.

    I wonder is there more of the structure hidden by those trees...


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    #3
    HavingCrack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭HavingCrack


    Yep that's it alright. Yeah maybe medieval is a tad optimistic but even something a few hundred years old would be quite historical in a suburban housing estate:pac:. I'm really curious as to what it is...


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    #4
    Ron DMC
    Registered Users Posts: 5,297 ✭✭✭Ron DMC


    I'll ask around when I'm home at the weekend. Someone's bound to have some info.


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    #5
    arachne
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭arachne


    The tower was a folly in the garden of a house called Ardlui, it was a 19th century house demolished in the 1950s to make way for Ardlui Park.


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    #6
    HavingCrack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭HavingCrack


    arachne wrote: »
    The tower was a folly in the garden of a house called Ardlui, it was a 19th century house demolished in the 1950s to make way for Ardlui Park.

    Oh, thought it would have been slightly older than that!
    Thanks a lot


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    #7
    arachne
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭arachne


    Here is a picture of the house for anyone interested


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    #8
    socal15
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭socal15


    The house in the photo was my great grandfather's estate. His name was George Douglas Mitchell. He was known as "The Governor". His son, my grandfather, eventually moved to California and settled in Hollywood around 1916. It was great to see this photo. I only wish I could read the text better.


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    #9
    arachne
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭arachne


    socal15, it says "this handsome freehold residence, standing on about 8 acres is for Sale with possession. The house and grounds are in perfect order. Lovely views of mountains and sea. Picturesque gate lodge [this survives]. ...[illegible] ... garden with round tower [also survives].
    The residence is [illegible] and contains lounge hall with conservatory, three reception rooms and [illegible] large bedrooms all with hot and cold water, three servants' rooms. Electric light. [illegible] offices, two garages. Everything up-to-date.
    One of the most attractive residences in County Dublin'.

    A friend of mine was given ornate gesso plaques from the interior by a local historian called Daniel Gillman and they are now part of his collection in Co. Wexford.


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