My wife's ancestors - St.Lawrence - Contents

Howth Castle

Howth Castle, N side of Howth Head peninsula, N Dublin Bay.

The St.Lawrence family owned these lands since the reign of John (1199-1216).
Howth Castle was originally built 1464.
This would be at the succession of Robert St.Lawrence, 2nd Baron Howth.
The castle was rebuilt by Christopher St.Lawrence, 7th Baron Howth in late 1500s.

Rebuilt in 18th century by William St.Lawrence, 14th Baron Howth. Finished 1738.
Seat of the Barons and Earls of Howth.
Title extinct 1909.
Howth Castle stayed in the family (through female line).
When finally sold it was possibly the oldest family home in Ireland. The same family had owned or lived at this location for 800 years.

Howth Castle sold and contents dispersed:
The family (now the Gaisford-St Lawrence family) finally sold Howth Castle in 2018.
Sadly, the family sold almost everything, including ancient family treasures.
The library was broken up and sold. I bought some of it. Quite a few of my books come from the castle library.
Auctions of Howth Castle contents:

Lots 1 to 599 on 8 Sept 2021.
Lots 600 to 979 on 9 Sept 2021.
Lots 1 to 1031 of the library, on 22 Sept 2021 and 23 Sept 2021.

Historical maps and views

Howth Castle in [Down Survey, 1655 to 1658].
From TCD.

Howth on Map of Dublin bay, 1685.
E is down.
See full size.

Howth Castle on John Rocque's map of Dublin, 1757.

Howth in [Taylor and Skinner, 1777].

Howth Castle, c.1780.
From [Ball, vol.5, 1917].

Howth Castle on map of Dublin Bay, 1798. W is up.
National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire.
See full size and other shot.

Howth Castle on 1829 to 1842 map.

Howth Castle on 1887 to 1913 map.

1819 picture

Howth Castle.
Picture dated 1819, by George Petrie.
For sale in the Howth Castle clearance auction in 2021.
See full size.

Copy of the above printed in [Cromwell, 1820].
See full size.

Copy of the above printed in [Ball, vol.5, 1917].
See full size. From here.

20th century pictures

Howth Castle.
Lawrence Collection.
From NLI.

Howth Castle.
Photo c.1910. "Digitally remastered". Formerly at Emerald Isle Gifts.

Howth Castle from the W.
From [Ball, vol.5, 1917].

Howth Castle from the E.
From [Ball, vol.5, 1917]. See larger.

The opening line of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1939) features Howth Castle: "riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs."