Myrtle Grove is an

Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...

gabled house in

Youghal Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long and narrow layout. ...

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The house is notable as a rare example in

of a 16th-century unfortified house. It is situated close to the

Collegiate Church of St Mary Youghal The Collegiate Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, also known as St Mary's Collegiate Church, is a large Anglican church in Youghal, east County Cork, Ireland. Dating to roughly 1220 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is part of Youghal Union of ...

History

Sir Walter Raleigh, cottage at Youghal (36346495935)

It was home for

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellion ...

from 1588 to 1589. Myrtle Grove's South Gable is where

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for ''The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of ...

is reputed to have written part of his poem ''

The Faerie Queene ''The Faerie Queene'' is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. Books IIII were first published in 1590, then republished in 1596 together with books IVVI. ''The Faerie Queene'' is notable for its form: at over 36,000 lines and over 4,000 sta ...

'', although some historians question this story. The house was acquired by

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (13 October 1566 – 15 September 1643), also known as the Great Earl of Cork, was an English politician who served as Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland. Lord Cork was an important figure in the continuing ...

in 1602 from Sir Walter Raleigh's Irish estate. Boyle

leased A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...

it to his protege Sir

Lawrence Parsons Laurence or Lawrence Parsons may refer to: * Laurence Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse (1749–1807), Irish peer and politician * Lawrence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (1758–1841), Irish peer * Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse (1840–1908), Irish pee ...

, the judge of the Irish

Admiralty Court Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offences. Admiralty courts in the United Kingdom England and Wales Scotland The Scottish court's earliest ...

. Though remodelled twice it remains one of the best-known examples of a Tudor house in Ireland. The house was acquired by the Hayman family in the 18th century. In the 20th century, it was the home of Sir

Henry Arthur Blake Sir Henry Arthur Blake (; 8January 184023February 1918) was a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British colonial administrator and Governor of Hong Kong from 1898 to 1903. Early life, family and career Blake was born in Limerick, Ir ...

and Lady Blake. At this time, the building housed "the best collection of West Indian paintings and sketches". The Blakes lived here until their deaths. They were buried in the garden. The house remains in private ownership and is closed to the public.

Legends

The house is reputed to be where

potatoes The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...

were first planted in Ireland or in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. The latter is unlikely, however, as potatoes were present only in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in 1536. There is a similar legend stating that Myrtle Grove was where tobacco was first smoked by

Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellion ...

. A servant was said to have observed Raleigh from behind and seen smoke rising from him. Thinking that Raleigh was on fire he threw a bucket of water on him to douse the fire. This legend is also however associated with several of Raleigh's other houses. "Myrtle Grove", a poem written in Spenserian stanzas by James Reiss, and published in ''Fugue'' magazine (the

University of Idaho The University of Idaho (U of I, or UIdaho) is a public land-grant research university in Moscow, Idaho. It is the state's land-grant and primary research university,, and the lead university in the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. The Universit ...

) in 2007, develops the legend that Edmund Spenser wrote portions of his great epic, ''The Faerie Queene'', under an aureole window in the South Gable of Raleigh's house.

References

{{coord missing, County Cork Buildings and structures in Youghal Walter Raleigh