Introduction

CHAPTER 1.

Introduction.

The peninsula of Howth, which is about three miles long, forms the extremity of the north-eastern boundary of Dublin Bay. It rises abruptly from the sea, and attains to an elevation of over five hundred and fifty feet. As its isthmus is flat and narrow, it appears from a distance to be completely surrounded by water. It is the most striking feature of the coast-line of the county of Dublin, and gains additional attraction from an island, of pyramidal shape, known as Ireland’s Eye, which lies close to its northern shore, and is visible across the isthmus from the south.

In the blue waters of the Irish Sea the peninsula and the island are singularly picturesque objects as the light and shade throw into relief the grey of their rocks, the brown of their withered bracken, and the green of their grassy slopes. In all ages the peninsula has been celebrated for its cliff and moorland scenery.

The poets of the Fianna period proclaimed it the loveliest hill in Erin’s isle; and a word-painter of our own day [Sir Samuel Ferguson] has found a theme in the grandeur of its caverned shores, in the wild beauty of its gorse-clad bill-sides, and in the brilliant line of the rhododendrons that attain perfection in its valleys.

[Writing in the Irish Times of June 14, 1902, an American visitor said:- It may seem presumptuous for an American to call the attention of Irish people to one of the beauties of their own country, but he hears so much said of Continental attractions that he is led to wonder if Dublin people realize that one of the most beautiful sights in Europe lies at their very door. Ireland itself is the dreamland of the world, but it is worth a trip across the Atlantic merely to spend an afternoon among the rhododendrons at the Howth demesne. It is the fairyland of childhood called into brief and plentiful reality. I have travelled in most parts of the world, and have seen the greater part of the show; places on the Continent, hut nothing of the sort can equal in fantastic and sumptuous beauty this hanging garden at the Howth demesne. It is a pity that anyone who can visit Howth should miss a sight that is unsurpassed on this side of the Indian Ocean.”]

On a first view the peninsula seems to have more connexion with the present than the past. As it is approached from the west by its isthmus modern villas and places of worship are alone seen, and within its limits houses of the last century are everywhere most conspicuous. In addition, an artificial harbour on its northern shore, and a light-house at its eastern extremity, tend to increase its association with later times.

But a closer inspection shows that the peninsula contains many ancient remains, indeed, more than any other area of the same size in the county of Dublin, and affords much scope for archaeological and historical research. A cromlech recalls the primeval age; a fortified headland, the days of the Celtic monarchy; an early sanctuary, the dawn of Christianity; and the varied architecture of a castle and church, whose foundations were laid nearly seven centuries ago, the changes of subsequent periods.

To the evidence of an eventful past afforded by these relics, the placenames make addition, and establish a close connexion with the Scandinavian invaders, from whose tongue the names of the peninsula and its island are derived.

The peninsula and isthmus are now divided into seven townlands - Burrow, Censure, Howth, Howth Demesne, Quarry, Sutton North, and Sutton South; and these townlands, together with Ireland’s Eye and some islets and foreshore [Thulla Island, the Islands, Sutton Oyster Bed, and the Estuary.], form the present parish of Howth. Within the townland of Howth, which embraces the eastern half of the peninsula, lie the town of Howth, the ruins of the mediaeval church, and the fortified headland within the townland of Howth Demesne, which embraces the north-western part of the peninsula, lies the seat of the lord of the soil, with the cromlech in its immediate vicinity; within the townlands of Censure and Sutton North and South, which embrace the south-western part of the peninsula, lie the finest cliff scenery [Especially near the Needles or Candlesticks, two pointed rocks, which are said to be tile remains of a rocky headland that has been worn into these fantastic forms by the action of the sea. See article (with woodcut) signed P[etrie] in the Dublin Penny Journal,” i, 165.], and the primitive church; within the townlands of Burrow and Quarry, which embrace the isthmus and a strip along the northern shore of the peninsula, lie two motes; and on Ireland’s Eye there are the remains of another primitive church.

With the exception of Censure, Howth, and Sutton, these divisions are modern. In an extent of the parish in the sixteenth century the townlands are given as Balkyll, Balstreight, Correston, Houthe, Modaxton, Pollardiston, Shenshire, and Sutton; and in an extent in the eighteenth century the townlands are given as Bodeen, Censure, Howth, Kitestown, Studdwalls, and Sutton.

The lands of Balkyll, Balstreight, and Correston are now portion of the townland of Howth Demesne. Those of Balkyll lie in its south-eastern angle, those of Balstreight lie along its northern side, and those of Correston, which are marked by a ruin known as Corr Castle, lie in its north-western angle. The lands of Bodeen, Kitestown, and Studdwalls are now included in the townland of Howth. Of Modaxton and Pollardiston all trace is lost.

The derivation of these place-names provides an interesting study. As already mentioned, Howth (i.e. the head) and Ireland’s Eye (i.e. Eria’s islet) are of Scandinavian origin, as is the Naze or Nose of Howth. Balkyll (i.e. the town of the church), Balstreight (i.e. the town of the strand), Censure (i.e. the eldest), [It is possible also that the name may be derived from a proper name, or have arisen from rejection of the land for its bad quality.] Correston (i.e. the town of the round hill), and Bodeen are of Irish origin.

In connexion with the natural features of the peninsula, many Irish names are also found. Amongst the names of the hills there occur the Ben (i.e. peak) of Howth, Carrickbrac (i.e. the speckled rock), Carrickmore (i.e. the big rock), Loughoreen (i.e. the lake of the cold spring), and Shelmartin (i.e. Martin’s seed). [Amongst other names of hills there are found - Barren, Dun, Middle, and Signal Hill.] Amongst the names of the streams, of which there are four, there are found Balsaggart Stream (i.e. the stream of the priest’s town) and Coulcour Brook (i.e. the brook of the foamy nook) [The other two streams are called Bloody Stream, and Whitewater Brook. There are eight wells known as Balsaggart, Barrenhill, Bawn, Black Jack’s, Juan’s, Priest’s, St. Fintan’s, and Tunnel Well. Two petrifying wells are mentioned by Rutty, one under the churchyard, the other, “the Howth dropping well”, on the east side of the peninsula.]; while the designations of other objects include the names Balglass (i.e. the town of the stream), Balscadden Bay (i.e. the bay of the town of the herrings), Casana Rock (i.e. the rock of the paths, Coolmine (i.e. the smooth corner), Cush Point (i.e. the foot), Drumleck (i.e. the ridge of the flagstones), Dunbo (i.e. the cow fort), Glenaveena (i.e. the glen of the Fianna), Kilrock (i.e. the rock of the church), Knocknabohill (i.e. the boys’ hillock), Lough Leven (i.e. the lough of the elms), and Rellig (i.e. Uxe cemetery). [Amongst other names of natural objects are found - Black Heath, Call Hole, Cross Garvey, Flat Rocks, Fox Hole, Gaskin’s Leap, Green Ivy, Highroom Bed, Hippy Hole, Lion’s Head, Mudoak Rock, Piper’s Gut, Puck’s Rock, Red Rock, Sheep Hole, the Stag, Webb’s Castle Rock, and Worm Hole.] On Ireland’s Eye there occurs the name Carrigeen (i.e. the little rock), [The other names are - Rowan Rocks, Samphire Hole, Seal’s Cave, the Stags and the Steer.] and a diminutive island near it is known as Thulla (i.e. the mound or the addition).

But amidst its manifold interests, the peninsula’s chief claim to fame arises from its owners, whose residence as well as tenure began at the time of the Anglo-Norman settlement, and has continued without interruption until the present day.

The history of the St. Lawrences, ennobled for countless generations as Lords of Howth, is indeed one of which any family might be proud, and shows a loyalty to the home adopted by them in distant ages stich as has been seldom, if ever, surpassed. When the State has called upon them they have been always ready to render assistance in the field of battle or in the council chamber, and their services have won for them high distinction; but it seems as if they had been moved by a sense of duty rather than by ambition, and as if, when their work was done, they had hastened back to their peninsula, esteeming it, like the woman of old, the highest privilege to be permitted to live amongst their own people.

The story of the St. Lawrences describes the founder of their house as a man of almost superhuman achievement in martial enterprise, whose banner was a sure token of victory to his friends and of defeat to his enemies. A likelihood of much knightly valour in the early generations of the family finds support in the fact that two swords are prominent in the St. Lawrence arms, and that a great two-handed one which has belonged to the family from time immemorial, is one of the most prized possessions in their ancestral home; and the position which the founder of the house and his more immediate descendants occupied in Ireland points to his having had behind him traditions.

According to the St. Lawrence story he was a brother-in-law of the renowned Anglo-Norman conqueror of Ulster, John de Courcy, and joined that illustrious man, as a consequence of vows made in the church of Rouen, in many campaigns abroad and at home. A halo of romance is thrown round his head by attributing to him originally the name of Tristram, and by seeking to establish a connexion between him and the hero of the Arthurian legend, and the adoption of the patronymic borne by his descendants is explained by the suggestion that the conquest of Howth was granted to him on the feast of St. Lawrence. [It has been also stated that the change of name was made after a battle at Clontarf by a member of the house who commanded an army in it, and had made vows to the Saint that if successful he would assume the Saint’s name. Lodge’s Peerage,” iii, 180.] But of his origin and career prior to his arrival in Ireland nothing can be said with certainty.

During the 18th century much error crept into the St. Lawrence pedigree, and in the earlier generations a number of mythical owners of Howth were introduced. But a note made by the learned Archbishop Alen in the early part of the 16th century shows that the succession accepted in his day was nearly the same as that obtained from contemporary sources.

His note reads as follows:- Geenealogia de Sanguine Dominorum de Houth a Conquestu - Nicholas 3x et Almaritius 2x ac Adam 2x etiam Christopher 2x cum Stephano, Roberto, Edwardo, quoque modo heres apparens, quorum ordo successionis talis est N. A. A. A. A. N. S. C. R. N. C. et E. hodie 1533. [Alen’s “Liber Niger,” Trinity College copy, f. 662, a. d.]

As the succeeding pages will show, the succession is now established to have been:-

---

Lords of Howth***

[In a note Lodge (“Peerage,” iii, 180) mentions that it was formerly asserted that the owners of Howth had possessed their estate without diminution or increase from the earliest time, that they had never suffered an attainder, and that the estate and title had never descended to a minor or second son. But the last claim cannot he sustained.]

*circa *1180 Almeric 1435-1462 Christopher 1619-1644 Nicholas

*circa *1187 Nicholas 1462-1486 Robert 1644-1649 Thomas

*circa *1200 Almeric 1486-1526 Nicholas 1649-1671 William

*circa *1250 Henry 1526-1542 Christopher 1671-1727 Thomas

*circa *1270 Nicholas 1542-1549 Edward 1727-1748 William

1290-1325 Adam 1549-1558 Richard .1748-180l Thomas

1325-1334 Adam 1558-1589 Christopher 1801-1822 William

1334-1404 Nicholas 1589-1607 Nicholas 1822-1874 Thomas

1404-1435 Stephen 1607-1619 Christopher 1874-1909 William

The seat of the St. Lawrences, known as Howth Castle, has stood on its present site, not far from the isthmus on the northern shore of the peninsula, for 700 years. It comprises a great mass of buildings, and contains structures of various periods.

It is approached from the east through a courtyard, on the north side of which lies an ancient gateway and the stable-yard, and on the south a wing containing a chapel and various apartments. The front shows an elevation of two stories over the ground-floor, and a lofty flight of steps heads to the hall, which is on the first floor. To the north of the hall is the dining-room, and to the south the billiard-room. In a wing extending to the south-west lie the drawing-room, library, and other reception-rooms. [The library, which is in a tower at the end of the wing, was designed for the present owner of the Castle by Mr. E. L. Lutyens, under whose direction extensive alterations and additions have been made. See “Houses and Gardens by E. L. Lutyens,” described by Lawrence Weaver, p.272.]

At first search is made in vain for any sign of an early origin. Nothing but modern-looking turrets, rough-cast and whitewashed,” says the resident of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Mr. T. J. Westropp, are to be seen through the thick mantle of ivy with which the Castle is covered, and it is only on close examination that in the south-west corner of the Castle, to the left of the entrance, the keep or chief tower of the ancient fortress is revealed.

At the north-west angle of the keep, in a small turret, the original staircase is found, and in the north-east angle in a corresponding turret, which was vaulted throughout its stories, curious rude corbelling is visible. The stairs were composed of rude stone steps, without any newel or stone-cutting such as occurs even in small peel towers in the west of Ireland, but a neat pointed doorway leads into the upper story of the Castle. Six steps higher there is one of the original window-slits, now built up, and 10 steps more lead to the summit of the keep. Excepting in the case of the south-west turret, which is apparently of 18th-century date, the original crenellated battlements and slab-gutters are retained.

The north-west or staircase turret has a small, straight flight of steps leading from the main stairs to the top, which affords a fine view, over the Castle gardens and park, of the sea and Ireland’s Eye. This turret is seven feet eight inches north and south, and six feet 10 inches east and west, while the main tower is 23 feet four inches long from this turret to the south wall along the battlement. The chimneys, which rest on corbels far down the face of the walls and block up the battlements, are plain, and a window of oblong shape which has been built up, was without ornament.

A gateway tower, which lies to the north-east of the Castle and is now unused, is also of the mediaeval time. It consists of a gloomy round-vaulted passage, 11 feet eight inches wide, and over 27 feet deep, with two little guard-rooms only lighted by slits, which splay inwards and outwards, and by small doorways. Over the vault, the side wall of which is five feet eight inches thick, there are two stories. The windows in them have been probably renewed, hut a turret at the north-east corner and the battlements are possibly of the same date as the main portion of the gateway.”

Beyond the gateway tower, farther to the north-east, the Castle gardens slope down to the sea. They were laid out more than two hundred years ago, and are intersected by beech hedges, which are remarkable not only for the size to which they have grown, but also for the radiating plan which was adopted in planting them. A summer-house forms the centre, and alleys through the hedges afford marine vistas of great beauty. The hedges have been kept closely clipped, and the effect of the vistas is increased by their being seen through walls of gleaming leaves, tender green in spring, deep green in high summer, and glorious sheen of copper at the fall of the year.”

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