Castle Map

Castle

Belvelly Castle

Ireland · 15th century

Founded
c. 1450
Location
County Cork
Coordinates
51.8881°, -8.3024°
Links
Wikimedia Commons
Open on the map →Official website ↗Wikipedia ↗
Belvelly Castle in Ireland
Photo: Mike Searle · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Description

Belvelly Castle is a 14th or 15th-century tower house in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated next to the small village of Belvelly, opposite and overlooking the only road bridge connecting Fota Island to Great Island (on which the town of Cobh is situated).

The castle was originally built by and for the Anglo-Norman Hodnett family, but was taken by the De la Roch (Roche) and De Barra (Barry) families in the 14th century. The Hodnetts later however leased-back their lands. Some sources suggest that Walter Raleigh occupied the castle in the 16th century, before being reoccupied by the De Barra family, and used by Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery to garrison troops during the Irish Confederate Wars in the mid-17th century.

By the 19th century the castle had fallen into ruin. During World War I, the castle received an increase in visitors when local coachmen brought sailors docked at nearby Queenstown (Cobh) to the castle - reputedly under the impression that they were actually visiting Blarney Castle and its Blarney Stone. The castle was occupied and somewhat modified by the Irish Army during the Emergency (1939-1945).

The castle was sold in the early 21st century, with planning permission granted in early 2016 for restoration for use as a private dwelling. This redevelopment was completed in late 2018, with additional artworks positioned on the roof of the tower house. The castle's owners are among the sponsors of local football club Cobh Ramblers FC.

Text adapted from “Belvelly Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

In the rankings

Belvelly Castle ranks #6,322 of 9,902 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #108 of the 186 mapped in Ireland. Founded c. 1450, it is older than 47% of the atlas's dated landmarks, one of 596 atlas entries founded in the 15th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 920 times in the last 60 days, more than 53% of the atlas. 6 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Cork, 12 km away. See how Ireland compares in the castle statistics.

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