Killruddery House & Gardens

Killruddery House & Gardens in County Wicklow is nestled between the mountains and the sea, and is one of the great historic houses of Ireland. The magnificent 800 acre estate includes flowering woodland, painterly formal 17th century gardens, a high hedge sylvan theatre, long ponds and a walled garden. It is also a member of HHI, Historic Houses of Ireland. The gardens at Killruddery House & Gardens are some of the oldest surviving examples of the original 17th century style, although there have been 18th and 19th century additions to the gardens. Killruddery House & Gardens offer garden admission and house tours. However, the team continues to protect Killruddery House & Gardens soul and unique character as a special family home. A French landscape architect named Bonet, a pupil of André Le Nôtre, was known to have been employed by the Earl of Meath in 1682, and within the formal gardens of the estate, visitors will find beautiful planting and wooded areas, water features and distinctive outdoor rooms. Architecturally, one of the most eye catching elements of Killruddery House & Gardens is the Orangery, designed and built by William Burns in 1852 and inspired by the style of the Crystal Palace in London. Legend has it that the family tiara was sold to finance this work and that the crenellations surrounding the dome were based on the design of this tiara. Today, three generations of the Brabazon family live in the 17th century house and estate, under the stewardship of Lord and Lady Ardee. Killruddery House & Gardens has been transformed into a cultural highlight and visitor attraction in Ireland’s Ancient East. A true celebration of the great outdoors, the authentic, bio-diverse space that makes up the estate comprises of a working farm. Free range meats, chemical free vegetables, fruit and cut flowers are grown, produced and available to buy in Killruddery’s Farm Shop and Garden Centre, situated in the estate’s heritage Horse Yard. Taste the ‘garden to plate’ menus in the Grain Store Restaurant and Tea Room. Celebrating the seasonal bounty of the estate is an everyday affair at Killruddery House & Gardens. Visitors can also look forward to an annual programme of cultural events which includes falconry, beekeeping and botanical workshops, outdoor concerts and children’s events. Visit Killruddery House & Gardens for a great family outing and within easy reach of Dublin City.

Wicklow