Beaulieu House, Gardens and Car Museum

Opening Months: May, June, July, August, September
Opening Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Opening Hours: Open daily in July & August
Admission Charge: Garden €6 - Guided tour of House €8 - Museum €6. Package of all three with booklet €20

• Appointment Only
• Admission Charge

Beaulieu is a very special place, remarkable for its age, its history, and the fact that the same family have lived in the house ever since it was completed in 1667. The enclosed garden dates from a few decades later may have been designed by the Dutch artist Van der Hagen and - like the house - is walled in russet brick imported from Holland.

Both are very rare survivors indeed. Beaulieu, built in Carolinian style, is one of the earliest examples of an unfortified house in Ireland and the sudden sight of the building with its steeply pitched roof and moulded chimney stacks at the end of a short avenue makes an imposing introduction to the garden.

The internal layout of the garden has changed over the years but, at the top end, there is a raised area similar to the Jacobean “terras” at Lismore Castle, where strollers could admire the view of the gleaming expanse of the Boyne estuary in safety. Now this area is the site of a double herbaceous border. with a wiggly path running between clumps of choice and unusual plants - perovskia, herbaceous clematis, crinum lilies, melianthus and sea lavender among them - and leading past a Victorian knot garden, to a diminutive gingerbread summer house.

The rest of garden is mainly given over to fruit and vegetables, with a golden border in the centre and a rockery tucked away near the rustic gardener’s cottage. By the entrance to the garden there is a hexagonal 19th conservatory, full of tender abutilons and pelargoniums.

Outside the walls, you will find a curious wooden temple, a thatched summer house, duck ponds and an inviting riverside walk, which leads past a stand of ancient lime trees to Queensborough coastguard cottages - all waiting to be investigated.

Best time of year to visit:

Gardens Strengths

Historic walled garden

Groups & Tours

• Groups Accepted
• Groups Need Appointments
• Accept Only Groups
• Guided Tours

Minimum Group Size:

1

Tour Days:

Tour Times

By appointment

Additional

Trails

No, but tour of other local gardens arranged upon request for parties over 12.

Events

House and garden available for hire - see web site for further details.

Miscellaneous

Groups 12+ - Refreshments by arrangement include coffee or tea and various lunches