TRAVEL: Belvedere House Gardens and Park

Belvedere is a magnificent 160-acre lakeside estate with restored Georgian villa, Victorian walled garden and naturalistic designed 18th century parkland. It is punctuated with romantic follies including the ‘Jealous Wall’.

It was built in 1740 as a Georgian villa designed by the architect Richard Castles for Robert Rochfort (later Lord Belvedere) as an escape from Robert’s main residence, Gaulstown House. This was after a family scandal where Robert’s wife Mary Molesworth was accused of an affair with his younger brother Arthur (of nearby Belfield House). 

Mary Moleswnrth spent 31 years under house arrest at Gaulstown until the Earl’s death in 1774; which led to Robert becoming known as ‘The Wicked Earl’ for his cruel treatment of Mary and his brother Arthur who died destitute in a debtors prison and Robert dispossessed his nine nieces and nephews. A different but related argument with another brother, George, led to Robert erecting the Jealous Wall in 1760 to block his view of his brothers’ much-larger Rochfort (now Tudenham) House.

Belvedere opened to the public in 2000 after a restoration project carried out by the estate owners, Westmeath County Council, in conjunction with Fá½±ilte Ireland and the Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Fund.

Belvedere House today stands as a very important example of cultural- built heritage that has been transformed into a tourism asset of national importance for the region, attracting over 160,000 visitors a year and a multi-faceted tourism/leisure site with a diverse range of uses throughout the year.

A day visitor to Belvedere gets to explore the restored Belvedere House, Victorian walled garden and rolling parkland with its numerous follies; a place of quiet contemplation and also a bustling, vibrant, colourful place with the many events held there, it is a place resonant of the past but relevant to the future.

The historic role of the Big House in Ireland was one of dominance and exclusion; they were hidden away behind high walls designed to keep people out and surrounded by idyllic landscaped grounds for the enjoyment of the few.

There is a licensed restaurant and gift shop on site, and there are also four outdoor children’s playgrounds, a magical fairy garden and many picnic areas. 

Whether you are part of a gardening group, historical society, school tour, active retirement association, family gathering or group of friends, a visit to Belvedere is a superb day out with a difference.

 

Belvedere House Gardens and Park, Mullingar,

Co Westmeath

Tel: 044 934 9060

Email: info@belvedere-house.ie

Web: www.belvedere-house.ie