Dunraven

The neighborhood was established in 2005 as one of the first neighborhoods in Capron Ridge. The name Dunraven is taken from a famous castle in Ireland with a storied history.

 

The neighborhood within Capron Ridge is a community of over 100 homes bordered by natural conservation areas, the large scrubjay preserve bird sanctuary, a recreation park for children, beautiful ponds, and the North and South Capron walking Trails. Large entry sidewalks allow for comfortable trail walking, and access to the main Tralee Bay Avenue which is home to Kerry Park, the tot-lot playground, pavilion, the Clubhouse, tennis court, shuffleboard courts, and swimming pool.

 

The residences in Dunraven are a mixture of charming, and sophisticated houses, which range in size from 2000 – 4000 square feet, representing a mixture of different styles. The neighborhood design styles represent Florida traditions in colors and architecture, with arches and columns being the main themes. There are a wide variety of interesting elements in all of the houses which make them unique and vibrant within the community.

 

The neighborhood gets it’s name from a famous Irish castle. Dunraven Castle (or in Welsh, Castell Dwnrhefn) was a mansion on the South Wales coast near Southerndown. The existing manor house was rebuilt as a castellated hunting lodge in the early 19th century and was extensively remodeled later in the century. The surviving parts of the house and its lands are Grade II listed buildings.

 

The site of the castle was the location for several earlier fortifications, the first of which is said to have been built by Arnold le Boteler (Butler) in the mid-12th century. By the 16th century, a manor house owned by the Vaughan family stood on the site, its existence recorded by John Leland.

 

In 1642 the house was sold to the Wyndham family. Thomas Wyndham of Dunraven was MP (Minister of Parliment) for Glamorgan from 1789 to his death in 1814. He rebuilt the manor house as a castellated hunting lodge in 1802–1806. The building was designed by his wife, although it was probably based on Clearwell Castle. The estate then passed to their daughter Caroline, who in 1810 had married the Irishman Windham Henry Quin (1782–1850), later 2nd Earl of Dunraven; in 1815 he assumed the additional name of Wyndham in right of his wife, becoming Windham Wyndham-Quin.

Caroline began remodeling the building in 1858; the central tower was replaced by a conservatory and the north and south wings were enlarged by Egbert Moxham. It was inherited by Edwin Wyndham-Quin, 3rd Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl, MP for Glamorganshire 1837–1851, and descendants. It was lived in until after the Second World War, having been used as a military hospital. The house was demolished in 1963. The castle's walled garden, gatehouse and several other structures survive[2] and are part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.