| Powerscourt House | |
|---|---|
 The facade at Powerscourt | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| Town or city | Enniskerry, County Wicklow |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°11′05″N 6°11′13″W / 53.18472°N 6.18694°W |
| Construction started | 1731 |
| Completed | 1741 |
| Client | Richard, 1st Viscount Powerscourt |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Cassels |
Powerscourt Estate (Irish: Eastát Chúirt an Phaoraigh), located in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, is a large country estate which is noted for its house and landscaped gardens, today occupying 19 hectares (47 acres). The house, originally a 13th-century castle, was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741.[1] A fire in 1974 left the house lying as a shell until it was renovated in 1996.
The Wingfield family had long coveted the lands of Phelim O'Toole of Powerscourt (d. 1603), seeking to draw Phelim O'Toole into an act of rebellion, the penalty for which was forfeiture. The feud climaxed on 14 May 1603 when the Wingfields murdered Phelim in the place known as the Killing Hollow near Powerscourt, despite the fact that Phelim's grandson and heir Turlough son of Phelim's son (d. 1616) remained in occupation of Powerscourt. King James I of England (d. 1625) on 27 October 1603 granted a lease of the manor of Powerscourt for 21 years to Sir Richard Wingfield for a rent of £6 Irish and a knight's fee. The reasons for the forfeiture of the O'Toole estates were because of the rebellious acts of Brian O'Neill (d. 1549) and Phelim O'Toole himself. That the actions of O'Brien, O'Neill and O'Toole, Lord of Kinelarty, were cited as a reason for forfeiture was bizarre given the fact that at least Phelim O'Toole received a posthumous pardon for unspecified offences on 23 April 1549. Furthermore, alongside Baron Cromwell his estates were surrendered to regrant.
The awarded family seat of the Viscounts Powerscourt, the estate has been owned by the Slazenger family, founders and former owners of the Slazenger sporting goods business, since 1961. It is a popular tourist attraction, and includes Powerscourt Golf Club, an Avoca Handweavers restaurant, and an Autograph Collection Hotel.
A related property is Powerscourt House, Dublin, which was the townhouse of the family.
- ^ Powerscourt House & Gardens Archived 2007-06-18 at the Wayback Machine