In
1172 Adam de Phepoe or Hugh de Lacy built the castle as an inner circle of defence sites protecting Dublin. In 1641
Luke Netherville of Corballis (near Donabate) and an army of 12,000 men took possession of Artane Castle and village in defence of their religious beliefs.
George, King of Clontarf, the then owner of Clontarf Castle joined in the rebellion. Netherville and the king seized a vessel believed to contain the weapons and ammunition of the enemy. After they seized the weapons, they returned to Swords and a lot of the local farmers and fishermen joined Netherville's rebellious army.
On 15th December 1641, the Puritan Republic General, Sir Charles Coote, led a troop of soldiers into Clontarf to quell the rebel activities. He found most of the ship's cargo of weapons and ammunition in George King's Clontarf Castle. Then the massive sum of £400.00 was put on the king's head and the castle was confiscated. Coote marched on to Swords and defeated Netherville and his rebel army.
On 14th August 1649, Oliver Cromwell granted the estate to John Blackwell, who sold it to John Vernon, who was Quartermaster General of Cromwell's army here in Ireland. The Vernons were in Clontarf for almost 300 years, with a family motto of 'Vernon Semper Viret', which means 'Vernon always flourished'. In 1660 John Vernon passed the castle on to his son, Edward Vernon. Edward died in 1684 and one of his sisters took over the castle. In 1695 a first cousin of Edward's, also named John Vernon, claimed rights to the castle. The estate was granted to him by an Act of Parliament in 1698.
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