lower castle-yard dublin major defensive complex
Dublin Castle was first founded as a major defensive complex upon the orders of King John of England in 1204, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, when it was commanded that a castle be built with strong walls and good ditches for the defence of the city, the administration of justice, and the protection of the King’s treasure. Largely complete by 1230, the castle was of typical Norman courtyard design, with a central square devoid of a keep, bounded on all sides by tall defensive walls and protected at each corner by a circular tower. Sited to the south-east of Norman Dublin, the castle formed one corner of the outer perimeter of the city, using the River Poddle as a natural means of defence along two of its sides. The city wall directly abutted the castle’s north-east Powder Tower, extending north and westwards around the city before rejoining the castle at its south-western Bermingham Tower. The Poddle was diverted into the city through archways where the walls adjoined the castle, artificially flooding the moat of the fortress's city elevations. One of these archways and part of the wall survives buried underneath the 18th century buildings of the castle, and are open to public inspection. Through the Middle Ages the wooden buildings within the castle square evolved and changed, the most significant addition being the Great Hall built of stone and timber, variously used as Parliament House, Court of Law and Banqueting Hall. The building survived until 1673 when it was damaged by fire and demolished shortly afterwards. No trace of medieval buildings remain above ground level today, with the exception of the great Record Tower (ca. 1228-1230); it the sole surviving tower of the original fortification, its battlements an early 19th-century addition. Throughout the British rule of Ireland, "Castle Catholic" was a pejorative term for Catholics who were considered to be overly friendly with or supportive of the British administration.
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Photo credit: © 19th era / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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