Castle Durrow is an 18th-century

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

Durrow, County Laois Durrow (, formerly ''Darmhagh Ua nDuach'') is a village located in south-east County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M8 motorway on 28 May 2010, the village is located on the R639 road at its junction with the N77. The River Erkina flows thr ...

, Ireland. The house was built in the pre-Palladian design and formal gardens that were popular in the 18th century.

History

The house was built between 1712-1716 by Colonel

William Flower William Flower may refer to: *William Flower (officer of arms) (c. 1498–1588), herald, Norroy King of Arms in the reign of Elizabeth I of England *William Flower (martyr), burnt 1555 during the Marian Persecutions *William Flower, 1st Baron Castl ...

(from 1733 Baron Castle Durrow) as a family home. In 1751 William's son Henry was created first Viscount Ashbrook, also in the Irish peerage, and the title is still extant, being held by his direct heir, Michael Flower, eleventh Viscount Ashbrook (b. 1935). The Flower family retained ownership of the estate until 1922, when they were forced to sell up and return to England. It was bought by a Mr. Maher of Freshford, County Kilkenny who was primarily interested in the estate's timber reserves. Eventually, the Irish Land Commission took over the arable portion of the property and the Forestry Department took over the woodland. After standing empty for some years the house itself was transformed in 1929 into a school (St Fintan's College and Convent) and in 1998 was purchased by Peter and Shelley Stokes and redeveloped as the luxury Castle Durrow Country House Hotel.''Ireland's Blue Book''
www.irelands-blue-book.ie, January 9, 2006, retrieved January 9, 2006.

References

Bibliography

* Godson, Julie Ann, "The Water Gypsy. How a Thames fishergirl became a viscountess" (FindARead.com, 2014). A biography of Betty Ridge (1745-1808) who married the 2nd Viscount Ashbrook (1744-1780), and history of the Ridge and Flower families Buildings and structures in County Laois {{Ireland-struct-stub