JAMES II

Photo Credit: Christ's Hospital Foundations

HIS MAJESTY KING JAMES THE SECOND (1633-1701)

by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.

The Red Trail

The Original Hut in 2016

Mount Stewart's Red Trail opened four years ago.

I first explored the trail on a glorious Sunday in May, 2016.

It was sunny and pleasantly warm.

After lunch at home I got a few things together and motored down the Ards Peninsula to Mount Stewart estate, a property of the National Trust, though formerly the ancestral seat of the Stewarts, Marquesses of Londonderry.

The Red Trail runs on land to the south-east of the demesne.

Having ambled past the Lookout and had a look in the shop inside the mansion house, I donned the wellington boots, ensured that my camera was in the pocket, and began the walk.

The Red Trail starts at a quaint little shepherd's hut, a sort of information centre for greeting visitors.

I walked in and chatted for several minutes to the person on duty.

The trail cuts through woodland and then there was a gradual ascent to Temple Hill and the Temple of the Winds, an octagonal building perched at the top of the hill, with a spectacular prospect of Strangford Lough.

The Temple was inspired by the Grand Tour the 1st Marquess took in his youth.

From here we begin a descent, walking on fairly level ground through enchanting woodland to the north-west of Patterson's Hill.

Eventually I emerged at a clearing, where there is a very large field at Cumming's Hill.

To my right, isolated and overgrown in semi-woodland, there's an old, derelict stone lodge or cottage.

It was doubtless inhabited by an estate worker and his family, perhaps a woodsman or gardener.

It appears rather romantic now, with the creeping ivy and resident crows, a pair of which I disturbed.

The windows are open to the elements.

Hopefully, in time, this will be restored as a holiday cottage.

Downpatrick Lodge and North Lodge at Castle Ward were both once derelict for many years until they were restored; and now they have tenants.

I continue my walk, northwards towards Bell's Hill.

The Glen Burn, a small river, runs alongside the Red Trail for part of the way.

Between Cumming's Hill and Bell's Hill there is a glen, where I made a short detour past picturesque little hump-back bridges to The Folly, at ruinous cottage ornée at the top of a hillock.

The Folly

It has the familiar Gothic window apertures seen, too, at the old schoolhouse; only the bare walls remain, though, and there is evidence of plasterwork on some of them.

This ruinous building aroused my curiosity.

There's something particularly special about walking new trails and discovering unknown features for the very first time.

According to my old chart there are the ruins of an old chapel or church at the extreme north of the Glen; at the edge of the estate, in fact.

Continuing my walk I begin a slight climb, past Bell's Hill, to the old piggery; then through a handsome, new, wooden gate which leads to a small track.

This track winds its way up New Hill, though a carpet of bluebells and woodland. It is relatively steep.

New Hill descends towards sea-level and brings one back to the start of the trail again.

First published in May, 2016.

Hare's Gap Trek

The Hare's Gap in the distance

Why do some people dump litter? I'm a great believer in the Leave No Trace principle. You'd hardly know I'd been.

I even get irritated if, in a gale or gust, a tissue or plastic wrapper inadvertently blows away from me.

Plastic bottles seem to be among the worst offenders. They weigh so little when they're empty. Their owners might as well carry them home.

On Sunday, the 13th June, 2020, I went on another mini-hike, this time to the Hare's Gap in the Mourne Mountains, County Down.

I suppose Bryansford is the nearest village. Trassey Road leads you to a small car-park, though it was completely full at 10am, and lots of cars were parked along the narrow verge.

Trassey Track, as it's known, leads directly to the famous Hare's Gap, a kind of col nestled between Slieve Bearnagh and Slievenaglogh.

At this time of year Foxgloves proliferate the Mournes; such beautiful wild flowers they are.

The track follows the Trassey River for part of the way.

It's a fairly gentle ascent, by Mourne standards, and takes perhaps an hour or so.

The Mourne Wall at Hare's Gap

The scenery is magnificent on a clear day, and the col at the top is a good place to have a snack and enjoy the prospect.

The old Raichle boots have served me well during their twenty-five or more years.

I descended along a path that skirts Slieve Meelmore for some distance, before joining the track itself.

Later on I drove through Bryansford and into Newcastle, where I found a parking space at the top of King Street.

King Street is an interesting road. It leads to the former gate lodge of Donard Lodge, and what appears to be a former walled garden (now developed inside).

There are some handsome and admirable villas in King Street.

Having parked I strolled in a triangular route between the old gate lodge, the harbour, and the old parish church (on the 'rock').

The church was closed, though the Annesley arms adorn its main entrance.

The former Annesley estate office and hall are here, on the promenade.

State Coach

The  magnificent Londonderry State Coach, now restored by the National Trust, is usually on display at Mount Stewart in County Down.

The colours of the coach are of significance, since the heraldic colours sable (black) and or (yellow or gold) feature in the Londonderry coat-of-arms.

This coach, which dates back to 1880s, was used by the Londonderry family to travel to the coronations of EDWARD VII, GEORGE V, GEORGE VI, as well as royal weddings and great state occasions in London.

Several years ago the National Trust approached the 9th Marquess, who owned the coach, with the aim of restoring and conserving this historically important artefact.

Now, after months of restoration by National Trust experts and with an project investment of around £100,000, the coach is displayed in all its sumptuous glory at Mount Stewart.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Londonderry family had several homes across the UK, including Mount Stewart , travelling frequently between them with several carriages kept at each residence, suitable for a variety of uses.

This particular coach would have only ever been used for state occasions and is now in Northern Ireland for the first time where previously it remained at the family’s London home, Londonderry House, in Park Lane.

Londonderry House, Park Lane

Very few state coaches now survive and the National Trust has four examples of such carriages which can be seen at Powis Castle, Wales; Tatton Park, Cheshire; Arlington Court, Devon; and Mount Stewart, County Down.

Frances Bailey, the National Trust Curator, commented:

“As a conservation charity, we are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to invest in the restoration of the Londonderry State Coach. We have gathered really interesting stories, coronation footage, old images of the coach and the people associated with it; to give visitors a strong sense of what this grand vehicle would have been used for and of the important aristocratic family it belongs to."

The late Lady Mairi Bury remembered the coach well, recalling the time when her parents, the 7th Marquess and Marchioness, attended the coronation of King George VI in 1937 whilst wearing their coronation robes and coronets.

This was also the last time the coach was ever used.

Lady Mairi was a keen photographer at that time and took some snaps of her parents on their procession to Westminster Abbey for the great event.

The images portray the excitement of the day and show the crowd that had gathered outside their London home to see the carriage set off.

These photographs, other stories and the splendid coach can be viewed at Mount Stewart.

Visitors can learn about the coach, the Londonderry family, as well as the staffing of stately homes.

First published in March, 2010.

Glenarm Castle Tour

IN JUNE, 2015, I PAID A VISIT TO GLENARM CASTLE, ANCESTRAL SEAT OF THE EARLS OF ANTRIM

GLENARM CASTLE IS THE ANCESTRAL SEAT OF THE EARLS OF ANTRIM

I was in my element during the weekend: the ducal seat of Baronscourt, County Tyrone, on Saturday; and  Glenarm Castle, County Antrim, yesterday.

Viscount and Viscountess Dunluce (Lord Dunluce is heir to the Earl of Antrim) have done a marvellous job of restoring and rejuvenating their stately home beside the historic village of Glenarm.

Glenarm Castle estate extends today to about 1,300 acres.

Antrim arms

I arrived in Glenarm  at about eleven forty-five, just in time for the first guided tour of the Castle.

George, the butler, and Elaine, the housekeeper, were on hand to guide us through the principal rooms.

East Elevation

The present Castle seems to date from 1756, although there have been many additions and alterations since then.

Out tour began in the hall, which rises two storeys.

There are a number of family portraits here, including one of Louisa, wife of the 5th Earl and niece of the 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister from 1830-34.

A fine serving-table, dating from 1750, stands below the portrait of Anne Catherine, Countess of Antrim suo jure.

The wonderfully ethereal ceiling was painted by Angela (née Sykes), Countess of Antrim (1911-84).

Garden Front

OUR NEXT stop was the drawing-room.

The late Angela, Lady Antrim, painted scenes from La Fontaine's Fables round the ceiling in the 1950s.

Many ancestral portraits hang here, including four 18th century landscape paintings of the family's two castles, Dunluce and Glenarm.

A number of personal family photographs stand on the grand piano.


THE DINING-ROOM is spacious and elegant, containing two full-length portraits of the 5th and 6th Earls.

Randal, 6th Earl and 2nd Marquess of Antrim (1749-91) wears the robes of the Order of the Bath.

The dining-table was laid for six today, though can be considerably enlarged, I gather, to accommodate up to twelve.

Crockery is monogrammed with the Earl of Antrim's cipher.

We were told that the open fire is seldom lit here because its draught is somewhat less than satisfactory.


THE BLUE ROOM was originally the billiards-room.

There are quite a few equine paintings on the wall, drawn for the 5th Earl, a passionate horseman who kept a stud in the estate.

The 5th Earl is said to have been an avid gambler (hardly surprising given his fondness for the Turf) who squandered much of his money.

Like Baronscourt in County Tyrone, Glenarm Castle flourishes today thanks to Lord and Lady Dunluce's love and passion for this historic family home; its magnificent gardens; the wooden obelisk hand-crafted by Corin Giles; the beautiful cascade and fountains; the herb garden; and the yew circle.

THE BARBICAN gate lodge is built into the estate wall at the end of an old stone bridge spanning the river Glenarm.

It was commissioned in 1823 by Edmund Phelps, the second husband of Anne Catherine, Countess of Antrim suo jure, who inherited the estate when her father, the 6th Earl, died without male issue.

The architect William Vitruvius Morrison built it using local, coursed, rubble basalt and red ashlar sandstone dressings.

This gate lodge has a narrow turret staircase which leads onto a roof terrace overlooking the surrounding countryside.

*****

BEFORE I conclude this article, I must mention the Castle Tea Room.

I lunched here yesterday and enjoyed a hearty and nourishing bowl of home-made sweet potato and parsnip soup, with a fresh bread roll and butter.

Having complimented the staff, I bade them farewell.

The Duke of Edinburgh

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, Baron Greenwich, Earl of Merioneth and Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE, is 99 today.

• Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)
  
• Royal Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT)
  
• Member of the Order of Merit (OM)
  
• Grand Master, First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE)

His Royal Highness is Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Photo Credit: Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

In 2011, Her Majesty The Queen appointed Prince Philip Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom.

Blue Trail Walk

IN JULY, 2016, I WALKED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME ALONG MOUNT STEWART'S NEW BLUE TRAIL

Today is a Jazz in the Garden day at Mount Stewart, the National Trust's beautiful property on the Ards Peninsula, County Down.

However, my purpose was to walk the brand new Blue Trail.

This new trail doesn't officially open until next Wednesday, I gather, though visitors are being treated to a preview.

The trail passes a field of barley and a derelict cottage with a rusty corrugated iron roof.

I searched for the ruins of an ancient church in a field close to the Glen, though all I could find were several large stones.

The trail meanders through lovely woodland till it joins the Red Trail at a junction which leads to The Folly, where I lunched this afternoon.

I sat on a wooden chair in the folly, had a beaker of tea, and ate my fresh fruit.

Thence I walked along the track, past a wild-flower meadow with cornflowers, past the old piggery, and back to my car.

First published in July, 2016.