My wife's ancestors - Fitzwilliam - Contents

Simmonscourt Castle, Dublin

• References:
  • SIMMONSCOURT in [Ball, vol.2, 1903]

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • SIMMONSCOURT in [Dix, 1897], p.65

 
Simmonscourt Castle.
Drawn by Gabriel Beranger.
Left: Drawn 1765.
Right: Drawn 1766.

Simmonscourt Castle is off what is now Simmonscourt Rd, Ballsbridge, Co.Dublin.
The old castle was built prob. temp Edward III,
then later building perhaps 16th century.
It is first mentioned in time of Sir Thomas Fitzwilliam, Kt, mid-1500s.
It was church property, rented to the Fitzwilliams.
The last of them living in Simmonscourt was William Fitzwilliam, 3rd Viscount Fitzwilliam post-1660.
By 1700 it was a ruin.
By 1792 the ruin looked pretty much as it does today.
Today a small ruined block (possibly only the gate house) of the medieval castle survives.

The ruin today is close to the Victorian "Simmonscourt Castle".
The entrance is near the Anglesea Rd end of Simmonscourt Rd (at the far end from the RDS) and is marked "Simmonscourt Castle" on the gate.
The medieval block is down the avenue on the RHS. Beyond it are a modern block of flats, and the Victorian building.

The parish of Donnybrook in the [Down Survey, 1655 to 1658]. E (sea) is up.
Fitzwilliam holds most of the parish.
1st Viscount Fitzwilliam holds Merrion (plot 2 and plot 3) and part of Simmonscourt (plot 1).
Most of Simmonscourt is held by the church (plot C).
This is part of the larger map of Donnybrook and Taney. From TCD.

Detail of John Rocque's map of Dublin, 1757, showing Baggotrath, Simmonscourt and Donnybrook.
See larger.
The Donnybrook/Stillorgan/Wicklow road still exists, and the Ballsbridge/Merrion road still exists, but everything in between has been obliterated.

Detail of 1757 map above.
Simmonscourt Castle was already a ruin by this time. There seems to be a complex of buildings at the site.

Simmonscourt in [Taylor and Skinner, 1777].

Simmonscourt Castle on 1829 to 1842 map.
There is a new "Simmonscourt Castle". The medieval castle is marked "Castle".

Ordnance Survey of Ireland map. Date created: 1865. From here.
The castle is marked.

Simmonscourt Castle on 1887 to 1913 map.

Location of Simmonscourt Castle today.
Click to toggle map/satellite view. Click to zoom in/out. Drag to move.
From Google Maps.

Close-up of the above.
The green-covered block at the start of the avenue is the old Simmonscourt Castle.
To the SE of it are a modern block of flats, and the Victorian "Simmonscourt Castle".

Simmonscourt Castle on Google 45 degree view.
Up is S.

Simmonscourt Castle. Street view of entrance.
Click to rotate.
From Google Street View.
See also 1999 photo.

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Simmonscourt Castle - front view

Simmonscourt Castle, 1792.
From [Grose, 1794]. Scan from South Dublin Libraries.
See larger and full size.

This looks pretty much like the front of the ruin looks today.
However Gabriel Beranger's views in the 1760s look entirely different.
[Harbison, 1998] suggests the present ruin might represent only the gate house for the now-vanished main block seen in Beranger's views.
Simmonscourt Castle was also described by Austin Cooper 1780, and that description is also like this gate house.
So that would mean the main block vanished some time around 1770.

Simmonscourt Castle.
Photo 1977. See full size.
From South Dublin Libraries. Patrick Healy collection. See terms of use.

Simmonscourt Castle.
See full size.
From South Dublin Libraries. Patrick Healy collection. See terms of use.

Simmonscourt Castle.
Note modern block of flats in background LHS.
Photo 1982. See full size.
From South Dublin Libraries. Patrick Healy collection. See terms of use.

Simmonscourt Castle.
Photo 1999. See full size.
See the Victorian building in background LHS.

Simmonscourt Castle.
Photo 1999. Note modern block of flats in background LHS.
Light adjusted digitally. See original.

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Simmonscourt Castle - rear view

Simmonscourt Castle.
Photo 1977. See full size.
From South Dublin Libraries. Patrick Healy collection. See terms of use.

Simmonscourt Castle.
Photo 1982. See full size.
From South Dublin Libraries. Patrick Healy collection. See terms of use.