Ardgillan Castle & Demesne

Ardgillan Demense

The demesne consists of 82ha of rolling pastureland, mixed woodland and gardens. The gardens are in three main secyions: the Rose Garden, Walled garden and the Potentilla Garden. The 0.5ha Rose Garden has a wide selection of both old and new varieties including a Pergola. A very fine Victorian conservatory dominates the garden with a central dome containing a range of ornamental plants while the two wings are devoted to citrus fruits and vegetables. The 1ha Walled Garden is subdivided by two free-standing walls, one of which has the unusual feature of twenty alcoves, a particular Victorian structure for growing more tender fruit species. Each sub-section has its own particular theme; an herb garden, vegetable potager, Irish plants, tender ornamental plants and fruit. The Potentilla Garden lying to the South of the Rose Garden displays, in formal layout, the newly established collection of Potentilla varieties of the species fruticosa. The growing collection currently numbers in excess of sixty varieties. The Castle, the residence at Ardgillan, built in 1738 consists of two stories over a basement which extends out under the south lawns. The ground floor rooms of the Castle, accessible to wheelchair users, are furnished in Georgian/Victorian style. The kitchens at basement levels are also open to visitors.

Ardgillan Castle

The name Ardgillan is derived from the Irish “Árd Choill” meaning “High Wood”. Ardgillan is a large country house with castellated embellishments built by the Rev. Robert Taylor in 1738. It stands on the elevated coastline commanding magnificent views of the Irish Sea. The house consists of two storeys over basement, which extend under the south lawns. Robert Taylor was a grandson of the Thomas Taylor who worked with William Petty on the mid 17th century Down Survey of Ireland. The house remained in the Taylor family until 1962 when the estate to Heinrich Potts of Westphalia. In 1982 the estate was sold to the County Council. The ground floor rooms and kitchen are open to the Public. Upstairs there is a permanent exhibition of the Down Survey colour maps and text and the Hutton Coachbuilders drawings and text.

Getting There

The Park is located between Skerries and Balbriggan By Car: Signposted from the M1/N1 Dublin-Belfast road to Balbriggan. There are two car parks the first adjacent to the Main Entrance Gates and the second close to the Castle. By Bus: Bus 33 from Eden Quay in Dublin city centre. The bus passes under Ladies Stairs footbridge entrance to the park 3.5 Km north of Skerries. By Train: 4 Km walk from Balbriggan Station on the Dublin to Drogheda line.