Castle Oliver
Encyclopedia
Castle Oliver is a Victorian
mock castle in the south part of County Limerick
, Ireland
. Built for entertaining rather than for defense, it has a ballroom, drawing room, library, morning room, dining room and hall which feature hand-painted ceilings, decorated ornamental corbels, superbly executed stained glass
windows and stencil work. The castle stands on massive terraces and has a commanding view over much of its former 20000 acres (80.9 km²) estate.
's soldiers. The present castle replaced the former Castle Oliver, which stood a thousand yards to the south-west and was the birthplace of Eliza Oliver, mother of the notorious Lola Montez
, who became the lover and favourite of King Ludwig I of Bavaria
.
The castle was for many years known as Clonodfoy, a contraction of an earlier Irish place name: Cloch an Otbhaidhigh, meaning 'the stone structure of Otway', Otway being an Anglo-Norman family name. Capt. Robert Oliver's descendant Richard Oliver married a Yorkshire heiress through whom he inherited substantial wealth. Their daughters, Mary Isabella and Elizabeth Oliver Gascoigne
, both married members of the Trench family of Woodlawn
, Galway. The younger sister, Elizabeth, married Frederic Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown in 1852. The sisters were highly accomplished artisans, designing and executing both the stained glass work and verre eglomise
(back-painted glass panels) which ornamented the ballroom fireplace. Much of their work has survived. The elder sister, Mary Isabella was a highly skilled wood-turner who published (under a male pseudonym) an authoritative book on the subject "The Art of Wood-turning" which is still a respected source of information on the subject. The sisters were the subject of an exhibition in 2006 "Maids & Mistresses", at another Oliver Gascoigne property, Lotherton Hall
near Leeds, England.
The sisters built the present castle in 1845. It was designed by the York
architect George Fowler Jones
in the Scottish Baronial style and built in a local pink sandstone, quarried on the estate. Fowler Jones designed several substantial commissions for the sisters, including almshouses and churches. The last descendant of the family moved out in 1978, after which the castle changed hands several times, eventually becoming the property of a local bank, who broke up the remaining land, farm and lodges into separate lots. The castle itself failed to find a buyer and languished into decay, falling prey to vandals and thieves. It appeared in the book "Vanishing houses of Ireland", published by the Irish Georgian Society
.
In 1988 it was purchased by the late Damian Haughton, who according to the subsequent owner, put a halt to most of the worst leaks in the roof. In 1998 it was purchased by Nicholas Browne, who continued the restoration work and transformed it back into a habitable residence. In 2006 it passed to the present owners Declan and Emma Cormack, who completed high-grade restoration work and have made the castle available for exclusive rental for weddings and private parties.
It contains about 110 rooms, and the largest private wine cellars in Ireland.
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mock castle in the south part of County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Built for entertaining rather than for defense, it has a ballroom, drawing room, library, morning room, dining room and hall which feature hand-painted ceilings, decorated ornamental corbels, superbly executed stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows and stencil work. The castle stands on massive terraces and has a commanding view over much of its former 20000 acres (80.9 km²) estate.
History
The lands where the castle stands were settled in about 1658 by Capt. Robert Oliver, one of Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's soldiers. The present castle replaced the former Castle Oliver, which stood a thousand yards to the south-west and was the birthplace of Eliza Oliver, mother of the notorious Lola Montez
Lola Montez
Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld , better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal...
, who became the lover and favourite of King Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
.
Oliver Gascoigne
The Oliver Gascoigne family originated at the point that Richard Oliver, originally of Castle Oliver, Limerick, Ireland, inherited the fortune of Sir Thomas Gascoigne of Parlington Hall, Yorkshire, in 1810. Sir Thomas made it a stipulation of his will that Richard add 'Gascoigne' to his name....
, both married members of the Trench family of Woodlawn
Woodlawn
-Canada:*Woodlawn, Nova Scotia, a neighbourhood of Dartmouth* Woodlawn Regional Park in Estevan, Saskatchewan-United States:*Woodlawn, Birmingham, Alabama, a neighborhood...
, Galway. The younger sister, Elizabeth, married Frederic Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown in 1852. The sisters were highly accomplished artisans, designing and executing both the stained glass work and verre eglomise
Verre églomisé
Verre églomisé, from the French term meaning glass gilded, is a process in which the back side of glass is gilded with gold or metal leaf.In one method, the metal is adhered using a gelatin adhesive, which results in a mirror-like, reflective finish in which designs are then engraved. The metal...
(back-painted glass panels) which ornamented the ballroom fireplace. Much of their work has survived. The elder sister, Mary Isabella was a highly skilled wood-turner who published (under a male pseudonym) an authoritative book on the subject "The Art of Wood-turning" which is still a respected source of information on the subject. The sisters were the subject of an exhibition in 2006 "Maids & Mistresses", at another Oliver Gascoigne property, Lotherton Hall
Lotherton Hall
Lotherton Hall is a country house near Aberford, West Yorkshire, England. It lies a short distance from the A1 motorway, 200 miles equidistant between London and Edinburgh....
near Leeds, England.
The sisters built the present castle in 1845. It was designed by the York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
architect George Fowler Jones
George Fowler Jones
George Fowler Jones, was an architect , who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, but based for most of his working life in York.-Biography and work:...
in the Scottish Baronial style and built in a local pink sandstone, quarried on the estate. Fowler Jones designed several substantial commissions for the sisters, including almshouses and churches. The last descendant of the family moved out in 1978, after which the castle changed hands several times, eventually becoming the property of a local bank, who broke up the remaining land, farm and lodges into separate lots. The castle itself failed to find a buyer and languished into decay, falling prey to vandals and thieves. It appeared in the book "Vanishing houses of Ireland", published by the Irish Georgian Society
Irish Georgian Society
The Irish Georgian Society aims to encourage an interest in and to promote the conservation of distinguished examples of architecture and the allied arts of all periods in Ireland...
.
In 1988 it was purchased by the late Damian Haughton, who according to the subsequent owner, put a halt to most of the worst leaks in the roof. In 1998 it was purchased by Nicholas Browne, who continued the restoration work and transformed it back into a habitable residence. In 2006 it passed to the present owners Declan and Emma Cormack, who completed high-grade restoration work and have made the castle available for exclusive rental for weddings and private parties.
It contains about 110 rooms, and the largest private wine cellars in Ireland.