Castle Ward Visit

I spent a very agreeable afternoon at Castle Ward estate, formerly the seat of the Viscounts Bangor and now a property of the National Trust.

The estate was looking splendid. The former estate forge or smithy is above.

I parked the two-seater in the old farm-yard, donned the wellies and began my walk, in the direction of Temple Water.

I wandered through the woods until I emerged at the Downpatrick gate lodge, now a holiday cottage.

I'm not entirely convinced about the brown paint on the trellises, door and windows. What, I wonder, was the colour in Victorian times?

The armorial bearings of the Viscounts Bangor adorn the gable of the lodge, overlooking the main gates.

I christened my new Jack Pyke Wellington boot socks and I can apprise you, readers, that they remained "up" the entire two hours. I like them and intend to wear them every time I have the wellies from hereon in.

There is a little duck-pond near the farm-yard.

There was a craft fair at Castle Ward today. Many craftsmen and women had their stalls in the mansion-house.

 

This afforded me a wonderful opportunity of viewing many of the more obscure portraits of such coves as an Earl of Peterborough, a Viscount Claneboye, and a Lord Bishop of Meath (Maxwell).

Within the old Castle Ward in the farm-yard, there was a permanent exhibition and studio run by two artists, possibly mother and daughter.

I had a lovely chat with them and reminisced about the property manager's father and brother (whom I was at school with).