Once a servant at Coolbawn House in Ireland was struck by lightning when she was standing by one of the windows and died from it. Ever since, she has been haunting the old mansion that today is only decaying ruins.
In the quiet beauty of County Wexford, Ireland, Coolbawn House stands as a solemn testament to a bygone era—a haunting reminder of a dark and eerie history that continues to captivate the imaginations of those who dare to venture near. Amidst the crumbling walls and faded grandeur, Coolbawn House harbors a sinister story that has earned it a reputation as one of Ireland’s most haunted places.
The two-story building had a basement and a distinctive T-shaped layout. The house has been vacant since 1883 and saw occasional use in 1911. Unfortunately, it was sold in 1917 and later suffered a fire in 1923, which has left it in ruins.
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The roof is missing, and there are granite chimney stacks with octagonal shapes. The exterior walls are partially covered in ivy or creeper and have pinnacle-topped piers at the corners. The main entrance features a square-headed door opening with a granite doorcase.
Inside the house, much of it is in ruins, but you can still see remnants of the original structure, including a staircase. The house is surrounded by overgrown grounds, and there are wrought iron railings around the perimeter.
This house is historically significant, designed by Frederick Darley Junior, and represents the early 19th-century architecture of County Wexford. Despite its ruined state, it still holds architectural value.
Beneath its crumbling façade of Coolbawn House lies a history that unfolds like a chilling Gothic tale of a house that was abandoned in 1883.
The Ghost in the Lightning
Before this though, Coolbawn House was a thriving residence. It was during this prosperous era that tragedy struck in a manner both mysterious and ominous. As the story goes, a servant girl was tragically struck by lightning one fateful evening, while she stood near a window that framed the house’s grandeur.
This horrifying incident would forever mark the house and its surroundings with an eerie aura, etching the servant girl’s presence into the very fabric of Coolbawn House. Witnesses have recounted sightings of her apparition, standing by that very window—a spectral figure forever gazing out at the world beyond.
Still as only ruins, the legend of the ghost of the servant is said to haunt the shell of the window where she once met her end.
Coolbawn House Today
Today, Coolbawn House’s ruins bear witness to a past filled with both grandeur and darkness as it burnt down in 1923 and now only the shell of it remains, overlooking the Blackstairs Mountains. Like so many stately homes owned by the British it was burned down by the IRA during the Civil War.
The green is now taking over the stone, reclaiming it to the green with. As the wind whispers through its crumbling chambers and the shadows play tricks on the imagination, the house continues to beckon those who seek to uncover its ghostly mysteries.
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References:
Featured Image: Mike Searle / Coolbawn House (2) / CC BY-SA 2.0 /Wikimedia
Coolbawn House, COOLBAWN DEMESNE, WEXFORD – Buildings of Ireland
Coolbawn Castle – Cow House Studios
Coolbawn House | Haunted Wexford, Ireland | Spirited Isle