13th-century house
The original owner of the 13th-century castle was an Anglo-Norman nobleman by the name of La Poer, which surname was eventually anglicised to "Power." The castle's position was of strategic military importance because the castle's owner could control access to the nearby Dargle, Glencree and Glencullen rivers.
The three-storey house had at least 68 rooms. The entrance hall, where family heirlooms were displayed, was 18 metres (60 ft) long and 12 metres (40 ft) wide. The main reception rooms were on the first floor rather than on the ground floor, the more typical location. A mile-long avenue of beech trees led to the house.
18th-century house
During the 16th century the house came into the ownership of the Powerscourt family. The family rose in wealth and prominence, and in the 18th century Richard Wingfield, 1st Viscount Powerscourt, commissioned the architect Richard Cassels to extensively alter and remodel the medieval castle to create a modern country house. Work started in 1731 and finished in 1741.
Using the commanding hilltop position, Cassels deviated slightly from his usual sombre style, giving the house something of what Sir John Vanbrugh would have called the 'castle air.' This is most noticeable in the structure's severe palladian facade bookended by two circular domed towers.
King George IV was the guest of the 5th Viscount Powerscourt in August 1821. In the 1830s, the house was the venue for a number of conferences on unfulfilled Bible prophecies, which were attended by men such as John Nelson Darby and Edward Irving. These conferences were held under the auspices of Theodosia, Dowager Viscountess Powerscourt. Her letters and papers were republished in 2004, including summaries of the Powerscourt prophetic conferences.[2][3]
19th-century gardens
In 1844, at the age of 8, Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt, inherited the title and the Powerscourt Estate, which comprised 200 km2 of land in Ireland. When young Lord Powerscourt reached the age of 21, he embarked on an extensive renovation of the house and created the new gardens.
Main attractions in the grounds include the Tower Valley (with stone tower), Japanese gardens, winged horse statues, Triton Lake, pet cemetery, Dolphin Pond, walled gardens, Bamberg Gate and the Italian Garden. The Pepperpot Tower is said to be designed after a favoured 3-inch pepperpot of Lady Wingfield. Of particular note is the Pets Cemetery, whose tombstones have been described as "astonishingly personal".
Inspiration for the garden design followed visits by Powerscourt to ornamental gardens at the Palace of Versailles, Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna, and Schwetzingen Castle near Heidelberg. The garden development took 20 years to complete in 1880.
20th-century fire and renovation
From the early part of the 20th century, the estate had a strong connection with the Scout movement.[4] The 8th Viscount Powerscourt in particular encouraged the movement, with Scout Groups allocated areas of the estate to camp on, with some building huts and cabins onsite, most notably the 16th Dublin (Jewish) Scouts. Baden Powell visited a large camp on the estate in 1928.
In 1961, the estate was sold by the 9th Viscount Powerscourt to the Slazenger family, who still own it as of 2021. Wendy Slazenger, daughter of the late Ralph Slazenger, married Mervyn Wingfield (1935–2015) in 1962. Mervyn later succeeded, in 1973, as the 10th Viscount Powerscourt. Through her children, the 11th Viscount - Mervyn Anthony Wingfield - and Julia Wingfield, there remains a strong connection between the two families and the Powerscourt Estate. The house was destroyed by fire on 4 November 1974 and was subsequently renovated in 1996. Only two rooms are open to the public as they once appeared while Powerscourt had residents, while the rest of ground floor and first floor are now retail units.
In 2011, Lonely Planet nominated Powerscourt in the "Top Ten Houses in the World", while in 2014, National Geographic listed Powerscourt as No. 3 in the World's Top Ten Gardens.
21st century
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood relocated from Malahide Castle near Dublin to Powerscourt House in June 2011. The museum features dollhouses, miniatures, dolls, historic toys and Tara's Palace, one of the greatest dollhouses in the world, on a par with the Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and Queen Mary's Dolls' House at Windsor Castle and the Astolat Dollhouse Castle.
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood
Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood relocated from Malahide Castle near Dublin to Powerscourt House in June 2011. The museum features dollhouses, miniatures, dolls, historic toys and Tara's Palace, one of the greatest dollhouses in the world, on a par with the Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and Queen Mary's Dolls' House at Windsor Castle and the Astolat Dollhouse Castle.
