Inside 'The Crown' Star Dominic West's Castle Home | Open Door | Architectural Digest
TLDRJoin us for a tour of Glen Castle, the ancestral home of the Fitzgerald family since the 1200s. Marvel at the classical plaster ceiling, explore the history-rich rooms filled with character stories, and admire the unique architecture, including Ireland's only flying staircase. From the vibrant yellow room to the productive garden and the stable yard with plans for community revitalization, Glen Castle is a living testament to history, nature, and the enduring spirit of family and community.
Takeaways
- 🏰 Glen Castle is the ancestral home of the Fitzgerald family, who have lived there since the 1200s.
- 🎭 The castle features a grand hall with a near-classical plaster ceiling, decorated with motifs significant to Ireland, including the Shannon river and the family's warcraft.
- 💃 The history of the castle includes a period of 10 years of high living with parties and dances, before the family went bankrupt.
- 🖼️ The castle houses various portraits, including a notable painting of Lady Cylinda Blenheim, the only female member of the Limerick Hellfire Club.
- 📚 The library is a quiet space filled with books, and it also features a hidden door that leads to a fully stocked bar.
- 🍽️ The dining room is adorned with ancestors' portraits, reflecting the family's history and their connection to the castle.
- 🌳 The garden is a significant part of the castle, with various plants and trees collected from different parts of the world, including a fuchsia walk and a paper birch from the Himalayas.
- 🐎 A unique feature of the castle is the 'flying staircase', an unsupported structure that bifurcates and leads to a Venetian window with a stunning view.
- 🥃 The family plans to start a whiskey called 'Cracked Jack' in the castle, continuing the tradition of merriment and celebration.
- 🌲 The oldest part of the house, a thatched long house, dates back to the time of the siege of Glen in 1601.
- 🏡 The castle has a rich history and is a symbol of continuity and community, having been a hotel for 10 years and currently being run by the family again.
Q & A
What is the name of the castle mentioned in the transcript?
-The name of the castle is Glen Castle.
Which family has been settled in Glen Castle since the 1200s?
-The Fitzgerald family has been settled in Glen Castle since the 1200s.
What is the significance of the Shannon in the context of the Fitzgerald family?
-The Shannon is significant as it is the Fitzgerald family motto, and it also represents their warcraft.
How did the original builder of the house and his wife finance the construction?
-The original builder of the house and his wife financed the construction by marrying an heiress, which led to 10 years of high living with dances and parties before going bankrupt.
What is the unique feature of the staircase in Glen Castle?
-The unique feature of the staircase in Glen Castle is that it is the only flying staircase in Ireland, which means it is unsupported and bifurcates before going up the middle.
Who was the 25th Knight of Glenn, and what was his nickname?
-The 25th Knight of Glenn was a handsome man known locally as the Knight of the Ladies due to his relationships with women.
What is the significance of the Irish elk in the castle?
-The Irish elk is significant as it represents the best houses in Ireland, and they are 10,000 years old, preserved in bogs which is why they are still found.
What is the history behind the oldest part of the house?
-The oldest part of the house was the thatched long house, which was built after the family had to escape the bombardment of the old castle during the siege of Glen in 1601. They settled near the old castle and lived there until they added on the 18th-century neoclassical mansion.
What is the role of the castle in the community today?
-The castle has always been the center of the community and was a hotel for 10 years, run successfully by the owner's parents. After the hotel closed, the morale of the whole town went down a little. The owners plan to continue running it as a hotel to keep the community spirit alive.
What is the significance of the garden to the owner?
-The garden is significant to the owner because they are a landscape designer and have studied plants, horticulture, and design. The garden has always been a particular passion for them, and they have been learning about the contributions of their ancestors to the garden.
What are some of the unique plants found in the garden?
-Some unique plants found in the garden include the Himalayan paper birch, Gunnera from Chile, and the White Great Western Red Cedar, also known as walking trees due to their unique growth pattern.
Outlines
🏰 Introduction to Glen Castle and its History
The script begins with a warm welcome to Glen Castle, a historical site and the ancestral home of the Fitzgerald family. The narrator, along with his wife Catherine, guides the audience through the castle, highlighting its rich history dating back to the 1200s. They describe the grand hall with its classical plaster ceiling and motifs significant to Ireland, such as the Shannon river and the family's warcraft. The story of the castle's builder, his marriage to an heiress, and their decade of lavish living before bankruptcy is also recounted. The tour continues through the castle, revealing the unique characters and stories associated with each room, including the library, the drawing room, and the dining room, filled with ancestors' portraits. The castle's architecture and design, including a hidden door and a flying staircase, are detailed, showcasing the ingenuity and character of the place.
🎉 Stories of Characters and the Castle's Social Life
This paragraph delves into the stories of various characters who have shaped the castle's history. It starts with the tale of Lady Cylinder Blenheim, the only female member of the Limerick Hellfire Club, known for its rowdy gatherings. The script then moves to the library, which houses a collection of political cartoons and a story of a ghostly rope above the flying staircase. The narrator shares personal connections to the castle, such as his great grandmother, Lady Rachel Wyndham Quinn, and her contributions to the garden. The paragraph also describes the renovation of the castle and the preservation of its original features, like the thatched long house from the 1600s. The castle's role as a community center, previously operating as a hotel, and the plans for its future are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of maintaining its unique character and history.
🌳 The Glen Castle Garden and its Evolution
The final paragraph of the script shifts focus to the garden of Glen Castle, highlighting its significance and beauty. The narrator talks about his passion for landscape design and horticulture, which is evident in the garden's diverse plantings and care. The garden's history during the war and its restoration in the 1970s by his parents is recounted, along with the various plants and trees that make it special, including topiary, a fuchsia walk, and a tropical enclave. The paragraph also touches on the challenges of garden maintenance, such as dealing with invasive species and pests. The script concludes with a reflection on the continuity of the garden's stewardship through generations of the family, and the narrator's commitment to preserving and adding to this legacy.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Glynn Castle
💡Fitzgerald Family
💡Ancestral Home
💡Neoclassical Architecture
💡Landscape Design
💡Cultural Heritage
💡Community
💡Restoration
💡Historical Artifacts
💡Gardening
💡Family Legacy
Highlights
The Fitzgerald family has been settled in Glen Castle since the 1200s.
The hall features a near classical plaster ceiling with motifs relevant to Ireland.
The builder of the house married an heiress and they enjoyed 10 years of high living before bankruptcy.
The drawing room is known for its beautiful pink lighting and numerous nights of merriment.
Cylinder Blenheim, the only female member of the Limerick Hellfire Club, is depicted in a saucy pose.
The library houses a hidden door that may lead to a fully stocked bar.
The dining room is filled with ancestors' portraits, including the cattle rustler and the female chieftain.
The 25th Knight of Glenn, known as the Knight of the Ladies, was notorious for his affairs and was denounced by the parish priest.
The only flying staircase in Ireland is found in Glen Castle, with a unique design that bifurcates and then goes up the middle.
The Yellow Room is painted in bright Georgian yellow and features a collection of 19th-century political cartoons.
The largest bedroom in the castle boasts an incredible blue fort poster and is where the magic happens.
Cracked Jack, an ancestor known for his love of gambling, is planned to have a whiskey named after him.
The oldest part of the house, the thatched long house, dates back to the time of the siege of Glen in 1601.
The garden is a testament to the family's love for horticulture and landscape design, with a variety of plants from around the world.
The garden's productive plots and topiary shapes were restored by the owner's parents in the 1970s.
The castle has a long history of community involvement and was a successful hotel run by the owner's parents.
The castle is considered one of the longest solely inhabited houses by one family in all of Ireland.