Southern Eire is peppered with lots of of historic stone castles from completely different time intervals. Whereas most are crumbling into the ocean, Blackwater Citadel has been maintained constantly for over eight centuries. Situated in an idyllic wooded valley on the River Awbeg, beside the city of Castletownroche in County Cork, the Norman spherical tower of this historic Irish fort was constructed round 1190 AD.
At this time, this Irish castle represents one of many oldest liveable homes in Ireland. After having spent just a few years as the one most costly Airbnb listed within the Republic of Eire, at €3,500 (£3,070) per evening, Blackwater Citadel is up on the market on Christie’s Real Estate for €2 million (roughly £1.75 million). It has additionally been used as a banqueting and wedding ceremony venue.
Whereas the sale value of this Irish castle would possibly sound like a variety of money for what is basically a really outdated constructing with undoubtedly large upkeep prices, when one seems to be nearer on the heritage related to the location the asking value begins to dilute and the worth will increase quickly.
Blackwater Citadel is an Irish fort which has come up on the market. ( Christie’s International Real Estate )
Irish Citadel and its 10,000 Years of Human Occupation
Blackwater Citadel’s official website informs that round 10,000 years in the past the location on which the Irish castle was constructed was occupied by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. This was made evident by the Nineties discovery of a flint scatter on the fort grounds that was dated to between 8,000 and 10,000 years outdated. These artifacts are actually housed within the Nationwide Museum of Eire.
Moreover, a sequence of caves have been recognized on the south financial institution of the River Awbeg within the Nineties. Inside them archaeologists excavated a “the jawbone of a Neolithic lady and Bronze-Age copper axes” that are all saved within the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. These two discoveries recommend the location was reoccupied regularly between 8,000 BC and the current day.
Blackwater Citadel in Eire is an Irish fort constructed on a website with a ten,000-year historical past. ( Christie’s International Real Estate )
Right here Comes the “Druids” Bit
Similar to virtually each historic website in Eire, the castle web site maintains the world was at one time occupied by “Druids and Chieftains.” However with virtually no information present in regards to the druids in Eire, how might the present homeowners presumably know this?
This declare is derived from the truth that between 2,500 BC and 500 BC the Bronze Age fort of Dún Cruadha was established on the present website of Blackwater Citadel. Since this fort presumably had chieftains, it’s assumed that they most likely consulted druids for steering.
This specific Irish castle was based because the seat of the FitzHugh / Roche Household who arrived in Eire with Richard de Clare , nicknamed Strongbow, in 1170 AD. In 1580 AD, Sir Walter Raleigh captured the fort, and when Oliver Cromwell landed in Eire in 1649 AD to re-conquer the nation on the bequest of the English Parliament, Woman Ellen Roche defended the fort in opposition to his consort, Lord Broghill.
Six of Ellen’s commanding officers have been brutally executed by Broghill’s males and their our bodies have been thrown into the river. After being imprisoned within the tower for 2 years, Woman Ellen Roche was herself unceremoniously hanged.
With six violent deaths it’s no surprise Spirited Isle declare her hooded ghost roams the fort together with the six murdered guards. So together with all this historical past the customer of the Irish fort will get not less than seven ghosts thrown in.
An early Sheela-na-gig carving from the Irish fort often called Blackwater Citadel in Eire. ( Christie’s International Real Estate )
The Holywell and the Unfold-Eagle Lady
Together with the wandering spirits of historic figures the Irish fort stock additionally contains the Holy Nicely of St. Patrick. Holy Wells of Cork & Kerry says “rounds” [oat cakes] have been as soon as positioned right here on the saint’s feast day, seventeenth March, and {that a} stone on the effectively was carved with the curious determine often called a ‘Sile ní Gig (Sheela na Gig).
Sheela na Gigs are carvings illustrating ladies with splayed legs within the birthing place representing fertility in each ladies and in nature. This carved stone was misplaced below the Irish castle within the backwater of the river Awbeg for a lot of centuries till in 1906 the Very Rev. Canon M. Higgins rescued it and changed it close to the Holy Nicely. Sheela na Gigs have been additionally carved within the decrease floor flooring of the tower home at Blackwater Castle and it’s thought that these presumably date from as early because the ninth century.
High picture: Irish fort Supply: Christie’s International Real Estate
By Ashley Cowie