Castles of Ireland: Some Fortress Histories and Legends

by Constance Louisa Adams

“But you are first to finish one tower, unless afterwards a castle and palace, and other works that may require greater leisure, may be more conveniently raised, and that we should command you so to do.”

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.

Of the eight towers which once protected the fortress only the Wardrobe Tower now remains, often erroneously called Birmingham Tower. This, as its name implies, is where the royal robe, cap of maintenance, and other furniture of state were kept. The sword of state is still preserved there, and also the records which were removed from Birmingham Tower. The lower portion is the original masonry, but an upper storey was added when the Chapel Royal was built. The Birmingham Tower was rendered unsafe by an explosion of gunpowder in Ship Street and had to be taken down. A lighter structure was erected on the site, which contains the present kitchen and viceregal supper-room. The other towers were gradually removed to make room for new buildings.

The Anglo-Irish used to decorate the gate and walls of the castle with the heads of the slain, and in 1316 some four hundred heads were sent from Wicklow for this purpose.

The castle did not become a permanent residence of the Viceroy until 1560 by order of Elizabeth, and in 1565 Henry Sydney took up his abode in it. He also enlarged and beautified it, and placed the State papers there in safe keeping.

The castle has stood several successful sieges. In 1478 Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, was superseded as Lord Deputy by Lord Grey of Codnor. He refused to resign, and Keating, Prior of Kilmainham, and Constable of the Castle, sided with him, and fortified the stronghold against the new Deputy. He destroyed the drawbridge, and Lord Grey, finding his numbers too small to force an entrance, returned to England, and Kildare was shortly afterwards reinstated.

Again, in 1534, young Lord Offaly, known as “Silken Thomas” from the splendour of his horses’ trappings, hearing a false report that his father had been treacherously executed in England, returned the Sword of State to the Council, which he held as Deputy in the Earl of Kildare’s absence, and commenced hostilities against the castle.