Mount Stewart House and Gardens
Located five miles from Newtownards near Strangford Lough, this magnificent house is classed as one of the finest estates in Northern Ireland. Visitors are treated to and impressive art collection, an expansive collection of well designed and well maintained gardens which visitors can walk around and view flowers from the exotic to the native.
Mount Stewart House itself is a perfect example of detail and precision which is typical of 18th century structures. Originally, Mount Stewart was known as Mount Pleasant and was purchased in 1744 by the Stewart family, and it was Robert Stewart who held the title Marquis of Londonderry. Leaving the house to his son in the wake of his death in 1821, the legacy was to be short lived as his son, Viscount Castlereagh, was a politician and due to the stress of his work, he ended his life. The house then passed into the hands of the third Marquis, Charles. He married twice, but it was his second marriage to be the most fruitful. His wife, Lady Frances Anne Vane Tempest, came from a strong and wealthy family and it was through her wealth that the expansive refurbishment of the house which was newly named as Mount Stewart. It wasn’t until the 7th Marquis inhabited the stately home that the house was redecorated as it is today. It was Lady Edith Londonderry’s influence of her home in Scotland that created the gardens which visitors can see today. The Shamrock Garden, Sunken Garden, the Spanish Garden, Italian Garden, Menagerie, and the Fountain Pool were all inclusions which Edith designed, and was to eventually lead to the gardens receiving the title of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It wasn’t until after the death of her husband in 1957 that Lady Edith Londonderry passed the gardens to the National Trust.
Mount Stewart House is an important estate within the county of Down. A delightful experience for all ages, the house and gardens are perfect for a peaceful stroll or to just simply experience the beauty of the lakes, trimmed topiary, and beautiful array of flowers. With magnificent views, statues of mermaids and even dinosaurs plotted all around, this is an estate which Down is proud to have within its county.