Castles of Ireland: Some Fortress Histories and LegendsAdams, Constance Louisa
History
Castles of Ireland: Some Fortress Histories and Legends
Adams, Constance Louisa
Castles -- Ireland; Legends -- Ireland
The grant consisted of 300 marks, which was owed to the King by
G. Fitz-Robert, and there are no records to show whether FitzHenry
ever collected the debt, or even began the castle in the three years
afterwards for which he held office. It seems to be a very general
opinion that the castle was built about 1220 by Henry Loundres,
Archbishop of Dublin, either at his own expense, or that he advanced
the money as a loan. A State paper, however, dated 1217, grants the
Archbishop two cantreds without Dublin for damage done to his churches
in fortifying the castle, and later there are many entries regarding
compensation to be paid in money to Henry Loundres in lieu of land
which had been encroached upon when extending the fortifications.
In 1242 an entry records that the windows of St. Edward’s Chapel
belonging to the castle were to be glazed, and divine service held.
This building seems to have been outside the fortress walls, on the
site of the present Chapel Royal which was erected in 1814. In 1243 a
hall was to be built 120 feet long and 80 feet wide. It was to have
glazed windows, with a round one at the gable end 30 feet in diameter.
The entrance to the castle was by a drawbridge on the north side, the
site now being occupied by the gate to the Upper Castle Yard. This
bridge was flanked by two towers, and defended by a portcullis, and
later by ordnance as well. From the gate towers, often used as State
prisons, a high curtain or wall extended east and west. In the westward
direction it joined what in later years was known as Cork Tower,
because it was rebuilt by the great Earl of Cork in 1629, it having
fallen in 1624, and been only partly restored. He spent £408 on it.
From this the wall was continued south to the Birmingham Tower, which
is said to have derived its name from its having been erected either
by John Birmingham, Earl of Louth, Lord Justice 1321, or Walter
Birmingham, who held office in 1348. It is more likely, however, that
this tower is identical with that known as the high tower, and that
it received the name Birmingham after William Birmingham and his son
Walter had been imprisoned there in 1331, otherwise the fortress would
have been incomplete prior to 1321, and the side with least natural
defence unprotected. From Birmingham Tower the curtain extended
eastward (intersected by two smaller towers) to Wardrobe Tower. From
this the wall was continued northward to the Store Tower near Dame’s
Gate, which was in its turn connected with the eastern gate tower.
There were two sallyports in the wall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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