Dowdall

The earliest forms of spelling were: Dowdell, Dowdale and Dowdle.

Dowdall was first used as a surname in Yorkshire, certainly by the time of the Norman conquest of England.

[1] George Dowdall built a strong gatehouse, Althumney House near Navan, County Meath; it was a building of the 15th century that was later enlarged and fortified by other Dowdalls.

The tower house had four storeys, with an attic and four projecting corner turrets of different sizes.

Inside the manor house, there are small hidden latrines and chambers, where the Catholic Dowdalls used to hide priests.