A Future for Irish Historic Houses - Irish Heritage Trust

Slane Castle, Slane, County Meath.
Slane Castle is located on the outskirts of Slane village in County Meath. It is
presently run by Lord Henry Mount Charles whose family has been associated with
the area since 1701:
- Slane is a very large and very early Gothic Revival castle associated with
some of the most important architects of their time. It was begun in the
1780s to the design of James Wyatt and completed to the design of Francis
Johnson. Johnson was responsible for the design of the Gothic entrance
gates. There is evidence to suggest that James Gandon, Thomas Hopper,
‘Capability’ Brown and others may also have been consulted at various
times.
- It has been described by A.J. Rowan as ‘a building of exceptional quality,
and a particularly fine example of what might be called the ‘Classical’ type
of castle.’
- The magnificent entrance hall was designed by Wyatt and Jonhson.
- The original library at Slane was described as the first Gothic interior in a
neo-Gothic house or castle in Ireland.
- The neo-Gothic ballroom was designed by Thomas Hopper, a favoured
architect of King George IV.
- The road from Dublin to Slane was reputedly built for the visit of George
IV to Slane in the early 1820s.
- Slane’s association with rock concerts since the 1980s has arguably given
it a modern cultural importance far removed from its historical role as the
centre of a landed estate.
In 1991, extensive damage was caused to the castle by a fire, which completely gutted
the east wing. The present owner points out that at the time no state funding was made
available to aid its restoration.
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