About seven miles from Dublin, on the chief highway to the North, is situated the town of Swords, Sword, Surd, or Swerdes, as it is variously termed in ancient manuscripts. From the earliest ages of Christianity the church founded by St. Columbkille, with its attendant offices and monastery, made the neighbourhood a powerful ecclesiastical centre; so that, when in later years the church lands of Swords became joined to the see of Dublin, they formed no inconsiderable part of the Archbishop’s revenue.

In the Bull of Pope Alexander III. in 1179 to St. Laurence O’Toole, Archbishop of Dublin, confirming his archiepiscopal see, Sword is placed second on the list of churches in importance.

Therefore it is not surprising that the Englishmen who succeeded O’Toole in the see of Dublin should have erected their country residence in a town, from the surrounding lands of which they derived so much of their income.

The site for the castle or palace was chosen on the east bank of Swords River, and the area covered by the buildings was more extensive than is usual for a Norman fortress, while the defences were somewhat less, as we hear no mention, nor see any remains, of the keep, which forms so universal a feature of the chief baronial strongholds.

Authorities place the date of building variously between 1184 and 1282, which gives a somewhat wide margin, but its erection is most generally assigned to John Comyn, the first English Archbishop of Dublin, who was elected at Evesham, 1181, and who was one of those to welcome Prince John at Waterford in 1185. An inquisition of 1265 finds that there was a constable of the castle in this Archbishop’s time.

The palace was built in castellated style, and the range of embattled walls flanked with towers is still complete. The warders’ walk is yet easy to trace. Over the gateway were the apartments for the guard, and just below is still visible the bakehouse chimney, of which mention will be made later.

Like so many of the castles of Leinster, Swords provided for years a convenient quarry for the neighbourhood, and what had once been corner stones of a palace went to support the thatched roofs of the surrounding cabins, so that few of the buildings which stood inside the battlements are now traceable.

In the line of walls is a large window which once occupied the gable end of what is likely to have been the great hall. The mullions of this window, which remained intact until recently, were remarkable for being of red sandstone, which is unknown in the country.

The situation of the chapel may still be discerned by the remnants of some of the stone carving which once adorned its sacred walls.

In 1192 Archbishop Comyn obtained a patent authorising him to hold an annual fair in his manor of Swords, and in 1387 this privilege was confirmed to Robert de Wikeford.

King Henry III. enlarged the possessions and added new privileges to the manor, which he granted to Henry de Loundres in 1216, on condition that he should build and maintain Castlekevin, near Glendalough, County Wicklow, to defend the pale in that quarter from the invasions of the great Irish families of O’Toole and O’Byrne.

We read later (1380) that Sir Nicholas Daggeworth seized the manor of Swords as Commissioner of Forfeitures, on the plea that the conditions above stated had not been complied with. He, however, afterwards confessed that the charge had not been proved, and therefore a writ of restitution was issued by the Treasurers and Barons of the Exchequer to Robert de Wykeford, Archbishop of Dublin.

The great prelates seem to have lived in almost royal state within their manor of Swords. They had their own seneschal, who was exempt from the authority of the sheriff of the county, and the law courts. The archbishops could try every case except the four pleas of the Crown, and their gallows was erected near the town on an eminence since known as Gallows Hill. Every writ issued from the civil courts had to be transferred to the prelates’ seneschal before it could be served.

The office of chief constable of the palace was a post of considerable importance, and survived the occupation of the castle for a considerable time. William Galrote held the position in 1220, Sampson de Crumba in 1240, and Thomas Fitzsimons in 1547.

In 1624 we read that Patrick Barnewell, of Grace Dieu, received pardon for alienation of certain interests, amongst which was the Constableship of Swords with ten acres in the Broad Meadow that belonged to the office.

It was most likely in connection with this post that the Lords of Kingsland were required to attend the Archbishop whenever he visited Swords, and to hold his stirrup as he mounted or dismounted, for which service they held lands to the value of some £300 a year.

It seems to be uncertain at what exact period the castle ceased to be used as a residence by the Archbishops, but in 1324 Alexander de Bicknor built the archiepiscopal palace of Tallaght, which was used as a country seat for the Archbishops for centuries, and only ceased to be considered as a palace in 1821.

It is most likely, therefore, that the invasion of Ireland by Edward Bruce, brother to the King of Scotland, rendered the position of Swords palace (which was not wholly built for defence) a somewhat dangerous one, as Bruce, having his headquarters at Dundalk, was in possession of the country almost up to the walls of Dublin.

In 1326 this same Alexander de Bicknor having displeased Edward II., and also being in arrears with his accounts as Lord Treasurer, the profits of his See were seized by the King to compensate for the deficiency, and in order to ascertain their real value inquisitions by jurors were held on the different manors.

The finding as regards the palace of Swords was as follows:—

“Who being sworn, say on oath, that there is in this place a hall, and the chamber adjoining said hall, the walls of which are of stone, crenelated after the manner of a castle, and covered with shingles.

“Further, there is a kitchen, together with a larder, the walls of which are of stone, roofed with shingles. And there is in the same place a chapel, the walls of which are of stone, roofed with shingles. Also there was in the same a chamber for friars, with a cloister, which is now prostrate. Also, there are in the same place a chamber, or apartment, for the constables by the gate, and four chambers for soldiers and warders, roofed with shingles, under which are a stable and bake-house.

“Also, there were here a house for a dairy, and a workshop, which are now prostrate. Also, there is on the premises in the haggard a shed made of planks, and thatched with straw. Also, a granary, built with timber and roofed with boards. Also, a byre, for the housing of farm horses and bullocks.

“The profits of all the above-recited premises, they return as of no value, because nothing is to be derived from them, either in the letting of the houses, or in any other way. And they need thorough repair, inasmuch as they are badly roofed.”

This gives some idea of the lost buildings, and also shows that even at this date the castle was beginning to decay.

Later the manor of Swords seems several times to have been granted to archbishops who wished during their lives to resign the arduous duties of the See. In 1484 we read that “Doctor Walton, Archbishop of Dublin, being blind and infirm, resigned his dignity, and reserved to himself for a maintenance the manor of Swords during his life, which reservation was confirmed to him by Act of Parliament during the following year.” And again, in 1562, it is recorded that, by Act of Parliament, John, late Archbishop of Dublin, was assured the manor of Swords for his life in consideration of surrendering the bishopric to Walter FitzSymons.

There is no evidence to show that these aged prelates ever resided in the castle, and as the following extract, written in 1583, records its state of ruin, it is most likely they were content with the revenues alone.

Sir Henry Sydney, Lord Deputy in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, when sending to Sir Francis Walsingham a summary of his services in Ireland, says: “I caused to plant and inhabit there about forty families of the reformed churches of the Low Countries, flying thence for religion’s sake, in one ruinous town called Surds (Swords). And truly (Sir) it would have done any man good to have seen how diligently they wrought, how they re-edified the quite spoiled old castle of the same town and repaired almost all the same, and how godly and cleanly they, their wives and children lived. They made diaper and ticks for beds, and other good stuff for man’s use, and excellent good leather of deer skins, goat and sheep fells, as is made at Southwark.”

Upon the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland the castle ground was purchased by the late Charles Cobbe, Esq., who leased it to the late Henry Baker, Esq., whose successor still holds the land.

The ground enclosed by the walls is at present laid out as an orchard and garden, and the castellated battlements, which were built to protect the royal state of wealthy prelates, have now no sterner duty than to shelter the delicate apple blossoms from the harsh spring winds, and to catch the sun-rays for the ripening fruit.