Castle Tremblestown (also sometimes known as Trimblestown) is located in the townland that shares its name in County Meath, Ireland.
Back in the 15th century, this building was constructed by the Barnewall family. The tower house consists of four floors and an impressive barrel vault ceiling to the loft area.
Later, in the middle of the 18th century, a huge three-story mansion was built north of the tower, while the tower itself had some decorative elements added.
These elements included ornamental turrets and crenellations in the style of the 16th century. Such additions made the tower particularly picturesque.
All additional constructions in the 18th century were completed by the owner at the time, namely the 12th Baron Trimblestown, Robert Barnewall.
Robert was a highly respected man and very popular since he cared for the local population. He offered free medical treatment to the poorer locals since, in his youth, he had traveled extensively and picked up many skills in the fields of medicine and botany.
Interestingly, Robert’s humanitarian approach to life must have been passed down through the family since his grandson was Richard Martin, a politician nicknamed “Humanity Dick” by King George IV for his campaigns to end cruelty to animals.
Near his huge estate, Robert built a beautifully landscaped garden where he created an extensive greenhouse filled with exotic plants. He also housed rare birds, and some reports suggest that he had an eagle tethered near his front door.
The design of the interior and exterior of the castle had been carefully thought out. For example, on the east side of the tower was a grand window that would have let in a lot of morning daylight into the rooms and corridors on that side of the building.
Unfortunately, by the beginning of the 20th century, the owners of the tower were gone, and it seems nobody can explain why. The buildings were abandoned and fell into decay. Gradually, the tower began to collapse, but as nature took over, this only increased the interest the property received from tourists and local residents.
Many visitors come here to view the castle ruins which are now covered with ivy. Even the castle’s remote location, a decent distance from accessible roads, doesn’t put them off. Access to the upper levels of the tower is unavailable since the stairs were destroyed over time, but the barrel-vaulted ceiling is still in evidence.
Many urban explorers document having to abandon their cars and walk across farmland to reach their destination. However, as the castle is very visible from quite far off, it’s unlikely that any visitors will lose their way.
The photographer who kindly gave us permission to share these photographs of Tremblestown Castle is Keith McGovern who lives in Dublin, Ireland. He is an amateur photographer and publishes his amazing work on an Instagram page and his Flickr account.
On these sites, you can find everything from 35mm film photography to long exposure photography and off-camera flash photography. Enjoy!
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