Manderley Castle
{{Short description|Castellated mansion near Dublin, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Irish English|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Manderley Castle
| native_name =
| location_town = Killiney
| location_country = Ireland
| image = Enya House.jpg
| caption = View of Manderley Castle
| coordinates = {{coord|53.2627|-6.113|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Dublin
| owner = Enya
| grounds_area = 14,000 m2
| status = complete
| completion_date = {{Start date|1840}}
}}
Manderley Castle, formerly "Victoria Castle" and "Ayesha Castle," is a large castellated Irish mansion built in Victorian style, in Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland. It has been owned by musician Enya since 1997.
Features
From the roof of the crenellated turret of the castle, it is possible to see the Irish Sea. The building is surrounded by {{convert|14000|m2|acre|abbr=on}} of gardens which had a number of woodland walks. A secret tunnel at the bottom of the garden originally gave access to Killiney beach but now is sealed off.{{cite news|author=Seaside Secrets |url=http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/life-piles-of-the-rich-and--famous-why-a-celebs-home--is-their-castle-346615.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520021417/http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/life-piles-of-the-rich-and--famous-why-a-celebs-home--is-their-castle-346615.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-05-20 |title=Life piles of the rich and famous: why a celeb's home is their castle |publisher=Independent.ie |date= 2001-05-26|access-date=2011-06-24}}
According to blueprints submitted in 1988, the owners sought permission to convert the existing stable house into attached living quarters. Permission was granted and the stable became an attached guest house, art room, exercise room and lounge area complete with staff quarters and a large loft. A tunnel running from the castle's basement to the Irish Sea was also marked for sealing in the blueprints.{{cite web | url=https://shelrochaleal.medium.com/residences-of-rock-vol-4-5a4002759fc9 | title=Residences of Rock, Vol. 4 | date=17 March 2025 }}
According to the same submission, Manderley Castle sits at 1300.336 sq. meters, or approximately 14,000 sq. feet in combined floor space.{{cite web | url=https://killineyhistory.ie/victoria-castle/ | title=Victoria Castle | Killiney History }}
History
Judge Robert Warren built Victoria Castle in 1840{{cite web|url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~nickred/newspaper/np_abst44.htm |title=Nick Reddan's Newspaper Extracts|publisher=Members.iinet.net.au |date=2011-01-08 |access-date=2011-06-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ucd.ie/economics/research/papers/2002/WP02.15.pdf |title=The Limerick Estate of Sergeant Warren during the Great Irish Famine |access-date=2011-06-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dublin1850.com/dublin1850/xdubdir88.html#warren |title=Dublin City Directory 1850: Waddick - Weekes |publisher=Dublin1850.com |access-date=2011-06-24}} to commemorate Queen Victoria's accession to the throne. The interior was gutted by fire in 1928, then restored by Sir Thomas Power of the whiskey distillery family. He renamed the mansion "Ayesha Castle", after the goddess who rose from the flames in H. Rider Haggard's novel She. In 1995, the Aylmer family decided to turn Ayesha Castle into a place of tourist interest, "conver[ting] existing stables to a ground floor apartment and a first floor craft room".{{cite web|url=http://planning.dlrcoco.ie/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=D95A/0199 |title=DLR County Council Planning Application|publisher=Planning.dlrcoco.ie |access-date=2011-06-24}} The Stable Gallery was established there, and a number of artists displayed their pictures.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=stable+gallery+killiney |title=Google search|date=2004-03-20 |access-date=2011-06-24}}
Irish musician Enya bought the castle in 1997 for €3.8 million ($4.1 million USD), reportedly outbidding Michael Flatley, who also viewed the house. Based on her interest in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, Enya renamed the castle "Manderley" for the fictional house that plays a central role in the 1938 novel.
Enya stated in several interviews around 1998 (while out promoting "Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best of Enya") that the castle had fallen into major disrepair and was in need of extensive remodeling.
There are currently no known public photographs of the interior of the home.
=Security=
Because of threats from stalkers, Enya reinforced the security of the castle, installing new solid timber entrance gates, raising the surrounding {{convert|41|m|ft|0}} of stone wall to more than {{convert|2.7|m|ft|0}}, and placing {{convert|1.2|m
|ft|0|adj=on}} railings atop some sections.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716162603/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1163172.ece Living: Quiet life next door to Enya] Despite these changes, around mid-August 2005, there were two separate security breaches while Enya was at the castle (her security system includes a panic room).
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Manderley Castle}}
{{Castles in Dublin}}
{{Enya}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown
Category:Houses in the Republic of Ireland