Naul, Dublin

Less than a hundred meters north of the graveyard, now completely shrouded under the tight grip of ancient ivy, stands the ruins of the Black Castle. Once described as "one of the most picturesque ruins of its kind in Ireland".[18]

The Black Castle, also known as Castle of the Roches, Cruise's Castle or Naul Castle is "boldly situated on a rocky precipice on the brow of a chain of hills, commanding a fine view of the vale of Roches, above which it towers at a height of upwards of 150 feet".[19] The Black Castle sentinels the Dublin side of the valley, as did the White Castle over the Delvin River, on the opposing Meath bank of the valley,[20] both owing their names due to the hue of the stone they were built from.

The castle is supposed to have been a strong castle, built by the Norman De Geneville family towards the close of the 12th century.[20] It was protected on its north and east sides by a sheer cliff and on the west by mighty walls, with a spacious bawn to shelter its cattle herd.[21] Around the year 1200 the castle passed, through marriage, to Stephen De Crues of the Cruise family, who were amongst the first Norman settlers in Ireland. His descendant Sir John Cruys or Cruise (died 1407), was a distinguished soldier and diplomat. Naul was one of his many estates, which also included Mount Merrion, Booterstown and Donnybrook.

In a deed of John, Lord of Ireland from 1200 the church of Stephen de Crues is mentioned, which is thought to have replaced the ruins of an earlier Celtic shrine on the site of the present graveyard. The Catholic church was served by resident vicars for three hundred years, becoming a Protestant church during Elizabeth I's reign.[20] It was recorded as ruinous by 1630 and mass was said on alternate Sundays in either the Black or White castles.[21] The ruins were later replaced with a Protestant church in 1818 [20] which used to stand in the graveyard until it became redundant and was demolished in 1949.[22]

In the year 1641 Christopher Cruise is recorded as owning "one old castle with an old hall covered in straw, one orchard, one garden plot, ten tenements and the walls of ye parish church" as his inheritance.[23] However, dusk was swiftly closing in on the Cruise family of Naul. When they participated in the rebellion of 1641 they were dispossessed of their castle and lands. Cromwell attacked and destroyed the castle in 1649 ‘when 40 of its defenders were put to the sword – a lone female escaping’.[21] This marked the end of the Cruise family and their lordship of Naul.

Later Oliver Plunkett is reputed to have been a frequent visitor to the Black Castle and according to legend is supposed to have been captured here for preaching during penal times.[21] Oliver Plunkett was the last religious martyr to be hung drawn and quartered in England. His head is now on display in St. Peters's church in Drogheda.

During his visit to Ireland in 2013 to promote the premiere of Oblivion, Tom Cruise was told his ancestors were Cruises of Naul, which was uncovered by a genealogical project commissioned as part of The Gathering by Tourism Ireland.

In 1966 a large portion of the castle containing the southern spiral stairwell collapsed, it is now half the size it was then. Large parts of the north and east walls remain however ivy compromises the 800-year-old ruins.

North-West of the Black Castle, on the opposing bank across the Delvin river in County Meath, the White Castle once stood. The White Castle or Snowtown Castle is believed to have been built in the 13th century by the Caddell Family [24] who were granted land along the Meath border of Naul from their relative Hugh De Lacey.[25]‘Snowtown Castle’ is shown on Roque's 1760 map of the area.

When visiting Naul on 10 August 1781, Austin Cooper wrote; "... On the Hill over the Glen, is an oblong Castle in ruins with gable ends. On the Meath side is a large square castle, with towers at each corner, whose diameter are equal to the spaces between them. It is very ruinous as well as some mural enclosures about it. By the boldness of the situation over the river, & remains of Gardens, Terraces and Walks &c., I imagine it to have once been a place of some Elegance & Note."[26]

The Caddells were evicted by Oliver Cromwell's general De Fyne in 1649, the lands were later released to Arthur Mervyn who built the three mills in Naul. The Pollard family later inherited the White Castle and surrounding land and in 1787 the castle was demolished. A remaining portion of the east face of the castle was later incorporated into Naul Park House c.1800 when the Ennis family acquired the lands. The gardens experienced a revival of their former grandeur and were ‘award-winning gardens for a time. The woods family later owned Naul Park house until the property was sold in 1961.[27] Naul Park house and the final remains of the castle were flattened c.1980. All that remains are some ground floor footings, some stone walls and overgrown shrubbery from the former gardens.

Legend has it that Nellie Netterville, on fleeing Cromwell's attack on the Black Castle placed a curse on the White Castle as she was heading west for revenge on the White Castle which was spared shelling. Subsequently, anyone who owned the Castle and grounds suffered bad fortune from there on. The site of the castle was left aside when the land was sold in recent years (Nulty, 2008). It now lies overgrown with briars.

Caddell's Folly a Georgian temple constructed by the Caddell family in the 1840s still stands in moderate condition in lands nearby the old castle on the Meath side of the Delvin river.[28]