THE IRISH PENNY JOURNAL.
| Number 20. | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1840. | Volume I. |
MALAHIDE CASTLE, COUNTY OF DUBLIN.
An ancient baronial castle, in good preservation and still inhabitedby the lineal descendant of its original founder, is arare object to find in Ireland; and the causes which have ledto this circumstance are too obvious to require an explanation.In Malahide Castle we have, however, a highly interestingexample of this kind; for though in its present stateit owes much of its imposing effect to modern restorations andimprovements, it still retains a considerable portion of veryancient date, and most probably even some parts of the originalcastle erected in the reign of King Henry II. Consideredin this way, Malahide Castle is without a rival in interest,not only in our metropolitan county, but also perhapswithin the boundary of the old English pale.
The Castle of Malahide is placed on a gently elevated situationon a limestone rock near the village or town fromwhich it derives its name, and of which, with its picturesquebay, it commands a beautiful prospect. In its general formit is quadrangular and nearly approaching to a square, flankedon its south or principal front by circular towers, with a fine“Gothic” entrance porch in the centre. Its proportions areof considerable grandeur, and its picturesqueness is greatlyheightened by the masses of luxuriant ivy which mantle itswalls. For much of its present architectural magnificence itis however indebted to its present proprietor, and his father,the late Colonel Talbot. The structure, as it appeared inthe commencement of the last century, was of contracted dimensions,and had wholly lost its original castellated character,though its ancient moat still remained. This moat ishowever now filled up, and its sloping surface is convertedinto a green-sward, and planted with Italian cypresses andother evergreens.
Interesting, however, as this ancient mansion is in its exteriorappearance, it is perhaps still more so in its interior features.Its spacious hall, roofed with timber-work of oak, isof considerable antiquity; but its attraction is eclipsed byanother apartment of equal age and vastly superior beauty,with which indeed in its way there is nothing, as far as weknow, to be compared in Ireland. This unique apartment iswainscotted throughout with oak elaborately carved, in compartments,with subjects derived from scripture history, andthough Gothic in their general character, some of them areexecuted with considerable skill; while the chimney-piece,which exhibits in its central division figures of the Virgin andChild, is carved with a singular degree of elegance and beauty.The whole is richly varnished, and from the blackness of tintwhich the wood has acquired from time, the apartment, asMr Brewer well observes, assumes the resemblance of onevast cabinet of ebony.
The other apartments, of which there are ten on each floor,are of inferior architectural pretensions, though some of themare of lofty and spacious proportions. But they are not withoutattractions of a high order, being enriched with somecostly specimens of porcelain, and their walls covered withthe more valuable ornaments of a collection of original portraits[Pg 154]and paintings by the old masters. Among the formerthe most remarkable are portraits of Charles I. and QueenHenrietta Ma