The architecture of Ashford Castle dates from several eras. The oldest section is a 13th-century Norman castle that once belonged to the de Burgh family. A house styled like a French château (the original Ashford House) was added in the 18th century. In the 19th century, Sir Arthur Guinness, who had inherited Ashford House from his father Benjamin, worked with architect Joseph Fuller to build this enormous home incorporating both the castle and the château.