Downhill Demesne Walk, Castlerock - Northern Ireland
Downhill Demesne Walk - Whispers in the wind
The Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland may be known as one of the greatest drives on earth, but its highlights are best explored on foot. The 18th century estate of Downhill Demesne sprawls over sheltered gardens and open fields, bordered by steep cliffs and a sweeping coastline.
The estate came into fruition as a result of the flamboyant Earl Bishop who built his country house upon the land enclosed by stone gates. The eccentricities of its founder are shrouded in gossip and scandal. The Earl Bishop was known as the ‘the English Casanova’ and is said to have had affairs, including an unspeakable relationship with his niece.
The natural starting place for the estate’s exploration is Bishop’s Gate, whose Gothic features include stone carvings of a bishop’s headpiece and cow skulls. The gate leads to the Bog Garden, an unbefitting name for one so pretty and filled with orchards and irises.
Continue through the wooded path of the Black Glen, with its botanical assortment of rare tree species. From here, the path happens upon the fish pond once used as a food source. Here, try to find the statue of the Earl Bishop’s brother and keep your eye peeled for its head that no-one has managed to find.
The protected formal gardens give way to an expanse of grassland that opens onto the estate’s grand buildings. The Downhill House is a curious shell of a mansion that was ravaged by fire in 1851. The household was once filled with priceless paintings from some of Europe’s greats but later fell into disrepair. Still, the mansion imparts an indelible sense of aristocratic wealth and landed gentry from a by-gone era.
The National Trust has dutifully labelled most of the rooms with historical information, interspersed with rumours the household was so well known for. One story tells of the Earl Bishop’s penchant for leaving flour in the hallway after social gatherings so as to detect which of his guests had nightly visitors.
The round enclave of Mussenden Temple, with its stone columns and domed roof, once served as a library for the Earl Bishop. Records suggest it was once possible for a horse and carriage to make an entire loop of the edifice, but nature’s corrosive forces have now brought the cliff edge to its very wall.
The Temple now peers immediately over the cliff edge and provides spectacular coastal views from floor to ceiling windows. Step outside to feel on top of the world and feel the wind whirl around you. Here you’ll find an inscription that reads:
’Tis pleasant, safely to behold, from shore, the rolling ship and hear the tempest roar’.
Northern Island’s natural beauty is best discovered in its historical context and here it echoes curiously through the life of the Earl Bishop.
