Castle For Sale in Co. Cork

Located just 2 miles west of the famous Castlemartyr Estate in the County of Cork lies the charming Ballintotis Castle, a fine, well preserved late medieval Irish Tower House, richly steeped in Irish history and tradition dating from the 1500s, most probably constructed by the Imokilly Fitzgeralds and later passed onto the Boyle Family branch, whose main house was at the Castlemartyr Estate.

Situated on approximately half an acre of land and gently tucked away down an avenue lined with native trees, Ballintotis is a Geraldine or Fitzgerald family castle, generally regarded as having been built as an outer defence for the nearby Castlemartyr Estate in the 16th Century.

The castle is about 15 metres in height, with plan dimensions of 6.5 metres EW and 6.2 metres NS, and a base batter rising to approximately 1.5 metres from the ground level, presenting accommodation over three levels crowned with battlements.

There are three main chambers with a number of stairwells and ancillary intramural rooms with walls approximately 1.5 metres thick. Prepare to be entranced!

Extensive renovation of the castle began in 2008 under the management of the present owner, and includes the following: repointing the walls, installation of pyramid glass and leaded roof, window repair with bronze encasement and slim frame profiles, floor replaced in oak, new plumbing and electrical installation, new doors, installation of septic tank, driveway, lawns, site planted with native trees.

The property is offered for sale with the bulk of the furniture excluding personal items.

The accommodation is laid out as follows…

Ground Floor
Entry on to the ground floor level via an arched door near the north end of the west wall. Inside a lintelled passage leads straight through to the main ground floor chamber. There is an entrance to a straight flight of mural stairs on the south side of the doorway and further inter-mural spiral stairs providing access to the upper floors.

First Floor
Large elegant bedroom, four poster bed, bath and closeted WC.

Second Floor
Glass roof, kitchenette, wood burning stove, dining area, study area, bed, bath, WC, stairs to the battlement walk.

Battlements
Wall walk, bellcote, seated area, beautiful bucolic views, new metal guard on the north west corner.

Other points of note…

Windows
There are three larger windows at the upper levels which allow more light into the principal living area. The majority of the windows are small, splayed, narrow openings. These windows are wider on the inside so as to enable the archers to fire arrows out at the enemy when the castle was under attack.

Stairs
The castle has three flights of stairs, both spiral and straight mural stairs, all of limestone and forming an integral part of the structure. There are 55 steps in total. The stairs survive all the way to the walkway at the original roof level of the castle.

Renovations
The wall tops were consolidated in their current state and a new metal guard rail was constructed on the north west corner. A new glazed roof was concealed behind the existing parapets and lead flashing was used to weather the wall walks. This glass roof gives diffused light to the main living area on the second floor. A new floor was put in on this level over the original vault.

On the first level, a new oak floor was put in on the existing wall corbels to create a bedroom. There is a WC on both the first and second floors in the existing mural passages. New bronze casement windows were inserted to all existing openings.

The renovations have been done in a manner that has retained the building’s historic character, integrity and charm.

The General Area
– less than half a mile to the North East of the Castle lies Loughaderry lake and wildlife reserve.
– Cork City, West Cork, is just 17 miles from the castle, and offers a wealth of cultural events, fine dining, galleries and shopping.
– Fota House, Arboretum and Wildlife Park is a 15 mins drive and well worth a visit.
– Cork Harbour is 25 mins away via the beautiful coastal towns of Kinsale or Youghal, with fabulous views of Cork’s historic forts, seaside towns, meandering rivers and the host of marine wildlife.
– Ballycotton Bay, Cliffs and Lighthouse and the world famous Ballymaloe House are a mere 15 mins drive.
– Jameson Distillery, located in nearby Midleton, offers tours and whiskey tasting experiences.
– Blarney Castle and Rock are just 23 miles distant.
– Cobh, the 2nd largest natural harbour in the world, formerly known as Queenstown (where the Titanic made its final fateful stop), is 14 miles away.
– a short drive away is the Hunted Hog, a traditional Irish Pub in Castlemartyr with fine food and a lively atmosphere.
– Kinsale is a 45 minute drive where you can begin a drive along the Wild Atlantic Way.
– just a 1 hour drive from the castle is the Rock of Cashel, where Ireland’s High Kings, including the great Brian Boru, ruled.
– Cork Airport 30 mins; Shannon International Airport 2 hrs; Dublin Airport 3 hrs.

Auctioneer PSP Licence No: 002657