About seven miles east-north-east of Dublin, in the Barony of Coolock, is situated the village of Howth, on the promontory of the same name.

A short way from the town, nestling under the lee of the hill is the castle, the seat of the Earls of Howth.

It is a long battlemented building, with square towers at each end.

A large flight of steps gives admission to the hall, which extends along the whole length of the building. Here is preserved the two-handed sword of Sir Amoricus Tristram (the founder of the St. Laurence family in Ireland) with which he is said to have fought his first Irish battle. Also three inscribed bells, which were removed from the Abbey, are preserved in the castle.

The fortress seems to have undergone much alteration since its first erection, and the great gateway tower, which now flanks the main building on one side, appears to be of sixteenth-century architecture and is no doubt part of the original building.

The stronghold was erected in 1564 by Christopher, the twentieth baron, but whether it was built on the site of an older castle or whether Corr Castle, also situated on the peninsular, was the ancient fortress of the St. Laurence family, does not seem to be known.

The mortar of the early building, like the Tower of London, is reported to have been mixed with blood. Until far into the nineteenth century the castle was surrounded by a fosse.

There are several inscribed and figured stones over the entrance to the stable-yard, and also one built into the wall near the garden gate.

Sir John de Courcy and his sister’s husband, Sir Amoricus Tristram, arrived at Howth in 1177. Their companionship in arms is said to have been the outcome of a compact to share each other’s fortunes made in the Church of St. Mary at Rouen.

Upon the arrival of the ship at Howth, De Courcy, being ill, remained on board, while Sir Amoricus took command of their forces in the first engagement with the Danes, who fiercely opposed their landing.

After a great battle, in which Sir Amoricus lost seven blood relations, the enemy were completely defeated at the bridge of the Evora, and the lands of Howth were granted to the victor as a reward of prowess.

He then accompanied Sir John de Courcy to Down, where he also gained possessions and did great deeds of valour. A story is told that after the first battle in the north Sir Amoricus was found leaning on his shield under a hedge, bleeding from three large wounds, and having sustained himself by eating the wild roses and honeysuckle which grew within his reach. His life was despaired of for nine days, but he eventually recovered, and lived to die heroically among a group of outnumbered infantry, having slain his horse so that he could not save himself by flight.

The St. Laurence coat of arms is a shield with cross swords and roses in a bloody field, which may have originated from the wild flowers Sir Amoricus gathered.

An early chronicler says of him that he might “be chosen from amongst a thousand knights for beauty and heroic courage, as well as for humility and courtesy to his inferiors, yielding to none but in the way of gentleness.”

After his death his sons gradually lost his northern possessions, and King John confirmed the grant of the lands of Howth to the third baron by charter. It may have been at this time that the family name was changed from Tristram to St. Laurence. There seems to be no historical evidence for the tradition that the name was altered to commemorate a victory gained upon St. Laurence’s Day.

In 1575, as Grace O’Mailley was returning from her famous visit to Queen Elizabeth she landed at Howth, but found the castle gates closed, the reason assigned being that it was the dinner hour. Shocked at such want of Irish hospitality she seized the young heir, who was playing on the strand, and carried him off to her castle in Mayo. She refused to restore him until she received a promise that the gates of Howth Castle should never again be closed at dinner hour. This child was Nicholas, afterwards twenty-first baron. A picture at the castle is supposed to represent the incident.

Lord Mountjoy, as Lord Deputy, and Sir George Carew, as Lord President of Munster, landed at Howth in 1599, and spent a night at the castle before proceeding to Dublin.

In 1607 the State Papers report that the old Countess of Kildare and Lady Dowager of Delvin and her children were at Howth in Sir Christopher St. Laurence’s house, and the following year it is mentioned that Sir John Talbot’s house is near the castle of Howth.

King William slept a night in the castle in 1690, and his room was kept unaltered from the time he had used it.

Dean Swift was a constant visitor at Howth, and an original portrait of him, painted by Bindon in 1735, hangs in the castle.

Near the garden stands the old elm known as “The Tristram Tree,” which has been carefully propped and preserved in every way on account of the tradition attaching to it. It is said that as long as this tree lives there will be an heir to the noble house which was founded by Sir Amoricus Tristram.

To “follow as closely as Lord Howth’s Rat” was at one time a common simile for any faithful or attached animal, and the legend which gave rise to the saying is the following:—

One of the former Lords of Howth had retired to his castle to retrench a somewhat diminished heritage, and one night while living thus in solitary state there was a fearful storm.

Word was brought to the fortress that a ship was being wrecked under the cliffs near the Abbey, and every one rushed off to the spot to render what assistance was possible, and amongst them Lord Howth.

Every effort was, however, unavailing, and the ship went down apparently with all hands. But as morning broke the eager watchers espied a frail, roughly-put-together raft floating towards them, and on this was a beautiful woman, with a wooden chest beside her.

As soon as she landed Lord Howth courteously offered her the hospitality of the castle, and ordered his servants to carry the heavy coffer thither.

She continued to live at Howth Castle, and her host became passionately enamoured of her, and wished to marry her, but she persistently refused his offers, and urged him daily to seek another bride.

At last he gave way to her entreaties, and became affianced to the daughter of a neighbouring nobleman.

As the time for the marriage drew near the fair stranger presented Lord Howth with a ribbon wrought with strange characters, which she told him to wear on his wrist and guard as his luck. Then she left the castle and was heard of no more.

In due course Lord Howth brought home his bride, and with true womanly curiosity she wanted to know why he never removed the ribbon from his arm.

One night, while he was asleep, she untied it, and took it over to the fire to decipher the inscription, but it accidentally ignited, and was burnt to ashes.

Lord Howth was terribly distressed at its loss, declaring that his good fortune would now forsake him.

Shortly after this there was a great feast in the castle. In the midst of the festivities the dogs in the courtyard began to give tongue, as if in pursuit of game, and in a minute a terrified rat had jumped on the banqueting table, and, pausing before Lord Howth, looked up piteously in his face for protection.

He ordered the dogs to be called off, and from that hour the rat never left him.

His wife and family did not approve of his faithful attendant, and his brother persuaded him to go to the Continent, and by thus crossing the sea rid himself of the animal. However, the morning after his arrival in France the rat was found sleeping on his bed. He then pushed on to Marseilles, but not long after his arrival the rat entered his room wet and draggled from its long journey.

The animal approached the fire to dry itself, when the nobleman’s brother took up the poker in a rage and killed it with one blow.

“You have murdered me,” cried the Earl, and, falling back, he died.

The rat is sometimes said to have been white, and to reappear when evil is about to befall the house of St. Laurence.

The present Lord Howth is the fourth earl.