Monday, September 26, 2016

Malahide Castle and Gardens

Another adventure took me by DART train 30 minutes north to Malahide Castle.  Malahide itself is a quaint village of 17,000 with a pretty seashore and golf course.  The castle is a few minutes walk from the station.

 
 Entrance to Malahide Castle


 Tower, winding staircase and ivy

The Talbot family, from England, built the castle in1175 and it is one of the oldest castles in Ireland.   It was home to the Talbot family for over 800 years until 1975 and is set on 260 acres which include many gardens. 

There are rooms reminiscent of the early days of the castle as well as more modern renovations.

An 18th century sofa--a young couple would sit in the middle and two chaperones would sit on the sides

 Main dining hall with pictures of Talbot ancestors


This container on the side of the dining room is for keeping food hot


 
View of the grounds from the castle

I walked all around the vast green lawns and gardens thinking about what it must have like to live in a place like this.  My mind kept flipping between King Arthur and Downton Abbey!  For me, this was a serene and thoughtful experience.


 Parterre
A formal garden constructed on a level surface, consisting of planting beds, typically in symmetrical patterns, separated and connected by gravel pathways.


Wooden chair 


 Interesting flower--couldn't find a name--any guesses?


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