March 2010
Featured in Unique Buildings Of The World

History
1228 – Ashford is founded by the Anglo-Norman de Burgo family following their defeat of the native O’Connors of Connaught. .
1589 – After more than three and a half centuries under the de Burgo’s, Ashford passes into the hands of a new owner. following a fierce battle between the forces of the de Burgo’s and those of the English Lord Bingham, governor of Connaught, a truce is agreed and the castle falls to Bingham who adds a fortified enclave within its precincts.
1715 – The famous Ashford estate is established by the Oranmore and Browne family and a fabulous french style chateau is added to the architectural splendour of the castle.
1852 – Ashford’s new owner, Sir Benjamin lee Guinness, extends the estate to 26,000 acres, building new roads, planting thousands of trees and adding two large victorian style extensions.
1868 – Sir Benjamin lee Guinness bequeaths Ashford to his son, Lord Ardilaun, an avid gardener who oversees the development of massive woodlands and rebuilds the entire west wing of the castle.
1915 – Ashford is retained by the Iveagh trust on behalf of the Guinness family until it is bought by Noel Huggard in 1939. Huggard establishes the castle as a First Class Hotel.
1951 – The director John Ford comes to the west of Ireland to film what would become a movie classic, The Quiet Man. Many of the films stars stayed at Ashford.

Ashford Castle Web Site