Wilton Castle
Contact Information.
Wilton Castle
Bree,
Enniscorty,
County Wexford
+353 (0)53 9247738
+353 (0)872389446
info@wiltoncastleireland.com
www.wiltoncastleireland.com
Have you ever dreamed of staying in an enchanted Castle that looks like it has been plucked from the pages of the most romantic and dramatic storybook? If so then Wilton Castle in County Wexford is the place for you.
This Castle has a history stretching back to the Norman Conquest of Ireland and has survived dawns and sunsets of bloodshed and unrest.
The feeling you get when you approach Wilton Castle is that of wonder and excitement.
The ruins and the restored melding together to create an awe-inspiring experience that seems to transcend time.
The ruined tower seems to add a haunting presence, a constant reminder of a past that at times was violent but still standing tall whispers softly to the strength and perseverance that this magnificent building has shown over the centuries.
Staying at Wilton Castle.
The restored parts of Wilton are something from a dream, comfortable, beautiful and romantic.
Rolling gardens and romantic walks surround this Castle. Perfect for weddings, functions or any occasion you can think of.
Wilton Castle is the embodiment of Irish history and gives you the wonderful gift of being able to stay in an Irish Castle.
Relaxing in comfort, surrounded by history and magnificence.
Wilton Castle is a place where dreams really do come true.
To stay in Wilton Castle you must book for a minimum of 2 nights. This magnificent Castle has a 4 Star rating.
The accommodation comprises of Suites that are self-catering.
These suites contain every modern connivance and have a choice 1-3 bedrooms, kitchen and living space.
All the accommodation is decorated with the historic periods of the Castle in mind.
Wilton Castle is available for booking online through their website, as well as through booking.com and airb&b.
The History of Wilton Castle.
Wilton Castle was also known as Cloyn – Na – Kayer and has a distinguished past dating back to the year 1247.
It has roots deeply based in the Anglo-Norman Nobility that came to Ireland following the Norman Conquest.
In 1247 the lands of Wilton were in the hands of William De Dane and it remained in the possession of the De Dene Family until it was passed to the Furlong family through marriage.
The first recorded Castle at this site was built in 1400 by Sir Fource Furlong.
The legend states that a member of the Furlong family had saved the life of King Henry II, while they were out hunting.
King Henry II was attacked by a wild boar.
Furlong is said to have bravely saved the life of the King and for this he was Knighted.
King Henry II also granted the brave new Knight a substantial amount of land, the Manor of Carrigmanam.
The Furlong family maintained ownership of Wilton and its lands until their lands were confiscated because they would not give up their Catholic faith. The lands were granted to the Butler Family.
The Butler Family had strong ties to the Crown.
Richard Butler was in the close inner circle of Queen Mary I and helped to arrange the marriage of the Queen to Phillip II of Spain.
In the 1640’S Wilton Castle was in the hands of Pierce Butler, who was a Colonel in the Irish Confederate Army.
He was a leader in the Confederate attacks on Enniscorthy Castle, which resulted in the majority of the towns protestant inhabitants being evicted.
Pierce Butler also lead attacks on Saint John’s Castle, Tintern Abbey and Duncannon Fort.
As a result of his actions with Irish Confederate Forces, his lands were confiscated by Cromwellian forces.
It was given to an officer in Cromwell’s army by the name of Robert Thornhill, however, his tenure on the estate was to last a very short time.
The estate was sold in 1695 to William Alcock.
Alcock made massive improvements and named this magnificent estate Wilton.
Massive renovations were carried out in 1837 by Harry Alcock who remodelled the outside façade of the Castle and the result is what we marvel at today.
This massive renovation was designed by Architect Daniel Robertson who’s work also includes Johnstown Castle situated outside Wexford town and the world famous Powerscourt in County Wicklow.
This was when Wilton House was transformed into Wilton Castle. A new wing was added as well as towers, chimneys, turrets and exquisite mullioned windows.
Rendered in lime plaster making this magical building gleam in the light. Wilton Castle passed through generations of the Alcock Family.
Wilton survived and endured countless eras in Ireland’s long and sometimes turbulent past until 1923 during the Irish Civil War, Wilton Castle was engulfed in flames leaving this magnificent piece of Irish history in ruins until 2004.
When local farmer Sean Windsor gave Wilton a new chance at life, and its epic story continues into a modern age.
Sean Windsor set about restoring this one ravaged ruin to its magnificent days of former glory.
The Ghosts of Wilton Castle
This ancient and beautiful building is steeped in history and legend, is it any wonder that there are said to be several ghostly apparitions that inhabit Wilton Castle and its extensive grounds.
Do they lurk, unwilling to leave the luxurious Castle that was once their home or are they stuck in this realm tormented by unfinished business or regret from their former life?
Some tales will make most peoples skin crawl with eerie delight, and there are stories of strange, vivid lights that illuminate the ruined tower. Do these lights invite you into the warmth of Wilton or act as a warning or indicator of the presence of the spirits.
It is said to be that of an older lady who tragically perished in a vicious fire that engulfed the Tower forcing it to endure as a ruin.
Another goulash tale says that Harry Alcock makes his presence felt every year on the anniversary of his tragic death.
He is said to drive at an eerie slow pace away from his home in a shadowy, ghostly carriage. Local revellers used to gather on the date of his death to bear witness to the ghostly carriage once again departing Wilton Castle.
One ghostly tale attached to Wilton Castle and possibly the strangest is that of a local magistrate Archibald Jacob who was a Captain of loyalist forces during the 1798 Rebellion.
He had a vile cruel reputation for inflicting the cruellest of punishments on the local people of the area.
After one of Wilton Castle’s famous balls, Jacob was riding his horse home alone, he fell from his steed and was killed.
For years after the event, the cruel magistrate was said to haunt the area where he died in the lands of Wilton Castle as well as Wilton Castle itself.
The haunting became such an issue for residents that a local Catholic priest performed an exorcism within Wilton Castle to rid it of Jacobs’s spirit.
Jacob is said to have appeared in the fireplace and combusted into a cloud of smoke.
Wilton Castle embodies all that is wonderful about Ireland, our ghostly tales, our vast history and magnificent architecture.
This is a must-see for anyone visiting Ireland who has a lifelong dream to stay in an Irish Castle.
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