Puxley Manor
Puxley Mansion, also known as Puxley's House, Puxley Castle, Puxley Manor or Dunboy Castle, lies on a hillside west of the town of Castletownbere, in County Cork in Ireland. This building originally only consisted of the square keep, which now stands at the back of the mansion. This keep was granted to the Puxley family in the 1700s. In 1866 the keep was extended with a large Gothic mansion by Henry Lavallin Puxley. Shortly after, his wife died at childbirth and he is said to have left Ireland, never to return to the mansion again. In 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, the mansion was burned down by the IRA, who feared the building would be used to station English troops. Later the Puxley family received compensation and left the area for good. The gutted mansion was sold at an auction to a local in 1927. In 1999 the Dunboy Estate, with the ruined Puxley Mansion and the remnants of Dunboy Castle, were put up for sale again. It was purchased by an investment company, who started to restore the mansion and built apartment blocks next to it. It was to become a luxury 6-star resort. It shortly opened in 2007, but quickly closed again due to the Financial crisis of 2007-2008.
Puxley in it's ruin era.
Visited this one on our Summer Ireland trip in 2022. I'd seen some old footage of the inside, and it just looked quite cool and different. It was also in a stunning area, so I think the plan was focused on the idyllic camping setting more so than the building. Rocked up, ignored the cameras because it would take decades for someone to reach the building and found a way in. Realised we had to find somewhere specific to sleep before sunset. Camped on the shore nearby, but my hammock snapped just as I was getting into bed, so I genuinely had the worst night's kip ever, on a bumpy, rocky descent. Therefore, I was up at 5am to see the rest of the structure to be sighted by a confused builder, no surprise after spotting a lonesome, sleep deprived weirdo at 5.30am on the roof. Fun little evening, here are the snaps!
They were clearing the land when we visited.
The main atrium was pretty cool, albeit unfinished.
Becoming a regular occurrence for my reports, but no thanks to @jtza for the photographs I have stolen. Will make it up to you senpai.
Signs of decay that differentiate the manor from any old construction site.
Into the more modern bits that would have been the additions in 2007-8.
Pool.
That's all. Not much really, but it's historic past makes it worth documenting in my opinion. Plus, besides the sleeping arrangements, it was a pleasant evening.
Here is the link to the video we filmed here, showing the entire evening with the camping.
Thanks for reading
Puxley Mansion, also known as Puxley's House, Puxley Castle, Puxley Manor or Dunboy Castle, lies on a hillside west of the town of Castletownbere, in County Cork in Ireland. This building originally only consisted of the square keep, which now stands at the back of the mansion. This keep was granted to the Puxley family in the 1700s. In 1866 the keep was extended with a large Gothic mansion by Henry Lavallin Puxley. Shortly after, his wife died at childbirth and he is said to have left Ireland, never to return to the mansion again. In 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, the mansion was burned down by the IRA, who feared the building would be used to station English troops. Later the Puxley family received compensation and left the area for good. The gutted mansion was sold at an auction to a local in 1927. In 1999 the Dunboy Estate, with the ruined Puxley Mansion and the remnants of Dunboy Castle, were put up for sale again. It was purchased by an investment company, who started to restore the mansion and built apartment blocks next to it. It was to become a luxury 6-star resort. It shortly opened in 2007, but quickly closed again due to the Financial crisis of 2007-2008.
Puxley in it's ruin era.
Visited this one on our Summer Ireland trip in 2022. I'd seen some old footage of the inside, and it just looked quite cool and different. It was also in a stunning area, so I think the plan was focused on the idyllic camping setting more so than the building. Rocked up, ignored the cameras because it would take decades for someone to reach the building and found a way in. Realised we had to find somewhere specific to sleep before sunset. Camped on the shore nearby, but my hammock snapped just as I was getting into bed, so I genuinely had the worst night's kip ever, on a bumpy, rocky descent. Therefore, I was up at 5am to see the rest of the structure to be sighted by a confused builder, no surprise after spotting a lonesome, sleep deprived weirdo at 5.30am on the roof. Fun little evening, here are the snaps!
They were clearing the land when we visited.
The main atrium was pretty cool, albeit unfinished.
Becoming a regular occurrence for my reports, but no thanks to @jtza for the photographs I have stolen. Will make it up to you senpai.
Signs of decay that differentiate the manor from any old construction site.
Into the more modern bits that would have been the additions in 2007-8.
Pool.
That's all. Not much really, but it's historic past makes it worth documenting in my opinion. Plus, besides the sleeping arrangements, it was a pleasant evening.
Here is the link to the video we filmed here, showing the entire evening with the camping.
Thanks for reading
