Powerscourt Estate
Encyclopedia
Powerscourt Estate located near Enniskerry
, County Wicklow
, Ireland
, is a large country estate which is noted for its house and landscaped gardens, today occupying 19 hectares (47 acres). The house, originally a 13th century castle, was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels
, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741. A fire in 1974 left the house lying as a shell until it was renovated in 1996.
Today the estate is owned and run by the Slazenger
family. It is a popular tourist attraction, and includes a golf course
, an Avoca Handweavers
restaurant, and a Ritz-Carlton
hotel. The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt.
in Chicago, Illinois and Queen Mary's Dolls' House
at Windsor Castle
. Other displays include other dollhouses and miniatures, dolls and historic toys.
The museum was formerly located at Malahide Castle
near Dublin.
, which was eventually anglicised to Power. The castle's position was of strategic military importance, in that the castle's owner could control access to the nearby Dargle, Glencree
and Glencullen
rivers.
The three-story house had at least 68 rooms. The entrance hall was 18 metres (60 ft) long and 12 metres (40 ft) wide where family heirlooms were displayed. The main reception rooms were on the first floor rather than more typically on the ground floor. A mile-long avenue of beech trees leads to the house.
, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741.
On a commanding hilltop position, Richard Cassels
deviated slightly from his usual sombre style, to give the house something of what John Vanbrugh
would have called the 'castle air'; a severe palladian facade bookended by two circular domed towers.
King George IV was the guest of Richard Wingfield, fifth Viscount Powerscourt
in August 1821. In the 1830s, the house was the venue for a number of conferences on unfulfilled Bible prophecies, which were attended by men such as John Nelson Darby
and Edward Irving
. These conferences were held under the auspices of Theodosia Wingfield Powerscourt, then the dowager Lady Powerscourt. Her letters and papers have recently been republished together with the summaries of the Powerscourt prophetic conferences.
Main attractions on the grounds include the Tower Valley (with stone tower), Japanese gardens, winged horse statues, Triton
Lake, pet cemetery
, Dolphin Pond, walled gardens, Bamberg Gate and the Italian Garden. The Pepperpot Tower is said to be designed after a favored 3" pepperpot of Lady Wingfield. Of particular note is the pets cemetery, whose tombstones have been described as "astonishingly personal".
Inspiration for the garden design followed visits by Powerscourt to ornamental gardens at the Palace of Versailles
, Schönbrunn Palace
near Vienna
, and Schwetzingen Castle
near Heidelberg
. The garden development took 20 years to complete in 1880.
The house was destroyed by fire on 4 November 1974, while it was owned by the Slazenger
family, and was subsequently renovated in 1996. Only two rooms are open to the public as they once appeared while Powerscourt had residents, while the rest of ground floor and first floor are now retail units.
park around the waterfall, resulting in the successful introduction of the Japanese Sika
to Ireland.
Regular bus service from Powerscourt to the waterfall was discontinued in 2005, though during the high summer season, intermittent bus services are still available. The waterfall is seven kilometres from Enniskerry, and walkable. While the distance is not prohibitive, walking can be dangerous, as the road is narrow, and lacks a shoulder for long stretches.
A separate entrance fee is required for access to the waterfall, ranging from €3.50 to €5.
Enniskerry
Enniskerry is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It had a population of 2,672 at the 2006 census.- Location :...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, is a large country estate which is noted for its house and landscaped gardens, today occupying 19 hectares (47 acres). The house, originally a 13th century castle, was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels , who anglicised his name to Richard Castle, ranks with Edward Lovett Pearce as one of the greatest architects working in Ireland in the 18th century. Cassels was born in 1690 in Kassel, Germany. Although German, his family were of French origin, descended from the...
, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741. A fire in 1974 left the house lying as a shell until it was renovated in 1996.
Today the estate is owned and run by the Slazenger
Slazenger
Slazenger is a British sports equipment brand name sold throughout the world, involving a variety of sporting categories namely cricket, tennis and hockey...
family. It is a popular tourist attraction, and includes a golf course
Powerscourt Golf Club
Powerscourt Golf Club, located at the Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, Ireland, is home to two par 72, 18-hole courses: the East, which was created first, and the West. Both contain fast greens and hilly fairways, and they are each over 6,900 yards long. In 1998, the East Course was host to...
, an Avoca Handweavers
Avoca Handweavers
Avoca Handweavers is a clothing manufacturing, retail and food business in Ireland. Started in Avoca, County Wicklow, it is the oldest working woollen mill in Ireland and one of the world's oldest manufacturering companies. It is also Ireland's oldest surviving business.The mill on the banks of...
restaurant, and a Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
hotel. The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt.
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood relocated to Powerscourt House in June 2011. The highlight of the museum is Tara's Palace, one of the greatest dolls houses in the world, on a par with the Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and IndustryMuseum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood adjacent to Lake Michigan. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
in Chicago, Illinois and Queen Mary's Dolls' House
Queen Mary's Dolls' House
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a doll's house built in the early 1920s, completed in 1924, for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V.The idea for building it originally came from the Queen's cousin, Princess Marie Louise, who discussed her idea with one of the top architects of the time, Sir Edwin...
at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
. Other displays include other dollhouses and miniatures, dolls and historic toys.
The museum was formerly located at Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle, parts of which date to the 12th century, lies, with over of remaining estate parkland , close to the village of Malahide, nine miles north of Dublin in Ireland.-History:...
near Dublin.
13th century house
The original owner of the 13th century castle was a man by the name of La PoerBaron La Poer
Baron La Poer, de la Poer, or Le Pour, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the Marquess of Waterford. Its creation is the sole instance of the law of the Kingdom of Ireland recognizing a peerage by writ.-The origin of the title:...
, which was eventually anglicised to Power. The castle's position was of strategic military importance, in that the castle's owner could control access to the nearby Dargle, Glencree
Glencree
Glencree is a valley in the Wicklow Mountains in eastern Ireland. It is the second closest valley in the mountains to Dublin city, the first being Glencullen. The river Dargle flows down the valley, which rises to a height of abut 400 metres...
and Glencullen
Glencullen
Glencullen , is a village in south County Dublin. It is also a townland in the civil parish of Kilternan, in the Barony and Poor Law Union of Rathdown in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County....
rivers.
The three-story house had at least 68 rooms. The entrance hall was 18 metres (60 ft) long and 12 metres (40 ft) wide where family heirlooms were displayed. The main reception rooms were on the first floor rather than more typically on the ground floor. A mile-long avenue of beech trees leads to the house.
18th century house
Powerscourt House was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard CasselsRichard Cassels
Richard Cassels , who anglicised his name to Richard Castle, ranks with Edward Lovett Pearce as one of the greatest architects working in Ireland in the 18th century. Cassels was born in 1690 in Kassel, Germany. Although German, his family were of French origin, descended from the...
, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741.
On a commanding hilltop position, Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels , who anglicised his name to Richard Castle, ranks with Edward Lovett Pearce as one of the greatest architects working in Ireland in the 18th century. Cassels was born in 1690 in Kassel, Germany. Although German, his family were of French origin, descended from the...
deviated slightly from his usual sombre style, to give the house something of what John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
would have called the 'castle air'; a severe palladian facade bookended by two circular domed towers.
King George IV was the guest of Richard Wingfield, fifth Viscount Powerscourt
Viscount Powerscourt
Viscount Powerscourt is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland, each time for members of the Wingfield family. It was created first in 1618 for the Chief Governor of Ireland, Richard Wingfield. However, this creation became extinct on his death in 1634. It was created a...
in August 1821. In the 1830s, the house was the venue for a number of conferences on unfulfilled Bible prophecies, which were attended by men such as John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. He is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism. He produced a translation of the Bible based on the Hebrew and Greek texts called The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation...
and Edward Irving
Edward Irving
*For Edward Irving, the Canadian geologist, see Edward A. Irving.Edward Irving was a Scottish clergyman, generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church.-Youth:...
. These conferences were held under the auspices of Theodosia Wingfield Powerscourt, then the dowager Lady Powerscourt. Her letters and papers have recently been republished together with the summaries of the Powerscourt prophetic conferences.
19th century gardens
Mervyn Wingfield, seventh Viscount Powerscourt, inherited the title and the Powerscourt estate, which comprised 200 km² (49,000 acres) of land in Ireland, at the age of 8 in 1844. When he reached the age of 21, he embarked on an extensive renovation of the house and created the new gardens.Main attractions on the grounds include the Tower Valley (with stone tower), Japanese gardens, winged horse statues, Triton
Triton (mythology)
Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the big sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, whose herald he is...
Lake, pet cemetery
Pet cemetery
A pet cemetery is a cemetery for animals.-History:Many human cultures buried animal remains. The Ancient Egyptians mummified and buried cats, which they considered deities....
, Dolphin Pond, walled gardens, Bamberg Gate and the Italian Garden. The Pepperpot Tower is said to be designed after a favored 3" pepperpot of Lady Wingfield. Of particular note is the pets cemetery, whose tombstones have been described as "astonishingly personal".
Inspiration for the garden design followed visits by Powerscourt to ornamental gardens at the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
, Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace is a former imperial 1,441-room Rococo summer residence in Vienna, Austria. One of the most important cultural monuments in the country, since the 1960s it has been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna...
near Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and Schwetzingen Castle
Schwetzingen Castle
Schloss Schwetzingen, or Schwetzingen Castle is a palace in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Schwetzingen was the summer residence of the Electors Palatine Karl III Philip and Charles Theodore. It is situated in Schwetzingen, roughly equidistant from the electors' seats at Heidelberg and...
near Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. The garden development took 20 years to complete in 1880.
20th century fire and renovation
In 1961, the estate, was sold by the 9th Viscount, Mervyn Patrick Wingfield, to the Slazenger family, who still owns it to this day (2010). Wendy Slazenger, daughter of the late Ralph Slazenger, married the 10th Viscount, Mervyn Niall Wingfield, in 1962. Through her children, the Hon. Mervyn Anthony Wingfield and the Hon. Julia Wingfield, there remains a strong family connection between the two families and the Powerscourt Estate.The house was destroyed by fire on 4 November 1974, while it was owned by the Slazenger
Slazenger
Slazenger is a British sports equipment brand name sold throughout the world, involving a variety of sporting categories namely cricket, tennis and hockey...
family, and was subsequently renovated in 1996. Only two rooms are open to the public as they once appeared while Powerscourt had residents, while the rest of ground floor and first floor are now retail units.
Waterfall
Powerscourt Waterfall and its surrounding valley are also owned by the Powerscourt estate, although the two pieces of land are no longer directly connected. At 121 metres, it is the highest waterfall in Ireland. In 1858, the seventh Viscount Powerscourt established a deerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
park around the waterfall, resulting in the successful introduction of the Japanese Sika
Sika Deer
The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
to Ireland.
Regular bus service from Powerscourt to the waterfall was discontinued in 2005, though during the high summer season, intermittent bus services are still available. The waterfall is seven kilometres from Enniskerry, and walkable. While the distance is not prohibitive, walking can be dangerous, as the road is narrow, and lacks a shoulder for long stretches.
A separate entrance fee is required for access to the waterfall, ranging from €3.50 to €5.
Popular culture
- The house was used as a filming location most famously in Stanley Kubrick's Barry LyndonBarry LyndonBarry Lyndon is a 1975 British-American period romantic war film produced, written, and directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray which recounts the exploits of an 18th century Irish adventurer...
, which was filmed there before the 1974 fire. - The estate was used as a backdrop and ancestral home of the "Artist" and Moll Flanders love interest in the film Moll FlandersMoll Flanders (1996 film)Moll Flanders is a 1996 film starring Robin Wright and Morgan Freeman. The film was directed by Pen Densham. The original music score was composed by Mark Mancina...
. - The 2002 version of The Count of Monte CristoThe Count of Monte Cristo (2002 film)The Count of Monte Cristo is a 2002 adventure film directed by Kevin Reynolds. The film is the tenth adaptation of the book of the same name by Alexandre Dumas, père and stars Richard Harris, James Caviezel, Dagmara Dominczyk, Guy Pearce, and Luis Guzman...
was filmed there. - David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield (2000 film)David Copperfield is a 2000 film that was a joint US/Irish TV film adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel David Copperfield. It was filmed in Ireland, and broadcast on the TV Channel TNT as a Hallmark Entertainment production on December 10–11, 2000....
was filmed there in 2000. - Where's Jack?Where's Jack?Where's Jack? is a 1969 film based around the exploits of notorious 18th century criminal Jack Sheppard and London "thieftaker" Jonathan Wild....
was filmed there in 1969. - Outdoor scenes for the 2005 film The League of Gentlemen's ApocalypseThe League of Gentlemen's ApocalypseThe League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse is a feature film spin-off of the popular British television comedy series The League of Gentlemen. Starring Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the film was written by the cast with Jeremy Dyson, and directed by Steve Bendelack...
, involving William III of EnglandWilliam III of EnglandWilliam III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
(aka "Good King Billy") played by Bernard HillBernard HillBernard Hill is a British actor of film, stage and television. In a career spanning thirty years, he is best known for playing Yosser Hughes, the troubled 'hard man' whose life is falling apart in Alan Bleasdale's groundbreaking 1980s TV drama, Boys from the Blackstuff...
and Queen Mary IIMary II of EnglandMary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
played by Victoria WoodVictoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano... - A key scene from the 1981 film ExcaliburExcalibur (film)Excalibur is a 1981 dramatic fantasy film directed, produced and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Adapted from the 15th century Arthurian romance, Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory, Excalibur features the music of Richard Wagner...
where Arthur fights Lancelot was filmed at the Waterfall
- Powerscourt House is the ancestral home of the fictional Lord Francis PowerscourtLord Francis PowerscourtLord Francis Powerscourt is a fictional Victorian-Edwardian detective created by the author David Dickinson who has, as of 2011, appeared in ten novels, with an eleventh due out for publication.-Background:...
in David Dickinson's series of novels about the Victorian detective (Goodnight Sweet Prince, Death And The Jubilee, Death Called To The Bar).
- The gardens were used to record Celtic WomanCeltic WomanCeltic Woman is an all-female musical ensemble conceived and assembled by Sharon Browne and David Downes, a former musical director of the Irish stage show Riverdance...
's Songs from the Heart DVD and TV special. - The Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
original film "Honeymoon for One", starring Nicollette SheridanNicollette SheridanNicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...
was filmed at the estate using external scenes of the home and the waterfall. The film's plot included a fight between the owners of "Castlewilde" (Powerscourt) and local citizens concerned about the building of a golf course, which the real estate has.