The Multifaceted Charms of Powerscourt Estate

What do you get when you combine a 13th century Irish castle with an 18th century German Architect and an 8 year old Viscount?  A magnificent location that has drawn royalty, celebrities and private citizens for years and provided them all with memories to last a lifetime.

Located in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, The Powerscourt Estate started its existence as castle that was a major military site that controlled access to various rivers in the area.  Originally the seat of power for the Baron La Poer, a barony by writ created in 1375, the land that encompassed it would eventually become the Powerscourt Estate. 

The original structure (less of a real castle and more of mansion), consisting of 68 rooms and a massive entrance hall, underwent a massive alteration by German architect Richard Cassels starting 1731 and finishing 10 years later.  The alterations were a break from the original design and gave the structure a more castle-like feel.  In the years that followed the estate would become the location of a number of conferences attended by royalty including King George IV in 1821.


In 1844 the seventh Viscount Powerscourt, Mervyn Wingfield inherited the title and the estate at the age of 8.  At the time the estate consisted of 49,000 acres and afforded the seventh Viscount the ability to indulge in some alterations of his own.  Upon turning 21, Viscount Wingfield, set upon an ambitious plan to build some of the most beautiful gardens in the whole of Ireland.  When he was done, the combination of gardens (featuring Japanese and Italian themes), Tower Valley with its distinctive Pepper Pot Tower, the Dolphin Pond and a pet cemetery with deeply personal gravestones showing the love that was felt for the various pets of the Viscount's families.

Eventually the estate would be sold to the Slazenger family in 1961 but one of the Slazenger daughters would marry 10th Viscount Mervyn Wingfield, maintaining a connection between family and estate.  Pared down to its current 47 acres, the house was badly damaged by fire in 1974 and has been constantly renovated to return it to its original grandeur.  In June of 2011, The Tara's Palace Museum of Children relocated to the Powerscourt House bringing with it Tara's Palace, one of the most magnificent doll houses in the world.

While its original history included visits and stays by members of the aristocracy and royalty, the house and estate has played host to other aristocrats and royals.  Because of its magnificent architecture, immaculate gardens and the adjoining Powerscourt Waterfall (the highest waterfall in Ireland), the house and estate have been used as the backdrops to many movies and TV shows.  Visitors to the estate who are fans of the 2002 movie adaption of The Count of Monte Cristo will recognize immediately the location of a party thrown by the Count.  Visitors to the Powerscourt Waterfall who have seen Excalibur will be taken back to the pivotal fight between Arthur and Lancelot.  The estate was also used for the recording of the DVD/TV Special, Celtic Woman's Song of the Heart.

If all of this spurs your interest in visiting this fine estate, Sceptre Tours is offering a magnificent package with round trip air and 6 nights at the nearby, 5-Star Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt.