Westport House & Gardens

Westport House has a story that matches its beauty. It is one of the few privately owned historic houses in Ireland. Take a guided tour of Westport House, check out the new adventure park and Interactive Gaming Zone, or explore the beautiful 400-acre Estate.

Fairy tale setting

In 1960, Jeremy Browne, 11th Marquess of Sligo, opened the estate to the public after being inspired by similar houses in the UK. Since then, Westport House has welcomed more than five million visitors. It is predominantly a domestic market family tourism product, as survey results indicate 84.4% of visitors were Irish. The house’s activity complies well with the national tourism policy agenda, being a prominent and significant adventure hub along the Wild Atlantic Way. A 400-acre Estate filled with gorgeous woodlands, lovely gardens, panoramic terraces, and enchanting antiquities, Westport House offers a fairy-tale setting for an exclusive wedding or corporate event.

The historic house enthrals visitors with its legends of lords, ladies, pirates, architecture, and slave emancipators. The top-rated tour guides are on hand to tell the story of over 300 years of house development. Discover the Browne family’s contribution to the estate, surrounding area, and further afield. Their connections to Mayo date back to the 1500s and even relate them to the trail-blazing pirate queen and chieftain, Grace O’Malley. This tour is one of the most exciting and educational things to do in Westport.

With a restaurant, cafe, food trucks, acres of woodland, Caravan & Camping Sites, a Glamping Village, Adventure Park, Events & an Interactive Gaming Zone, Westport House is so much more than just a historic house. That's why it is an ideal place for a full day’s outdoor fun! The Gaming Zone creates an immersive playground by combining physical movements with games projected onto an interactive wall. Conquer heights, seek adrenaline thrills, and take on Ireland’s largest Net Park. No visit would be complete without a trip on the Express Train. Spend a night under the stars inside a bell tent, or bring your van to the Caravan and Camping Park. The huge estate is also home to one of the best places for families to go glamping. There are excellent amenities like a football pitch, foot golf, playgrounds, a leisure centre, a gym and a 20m swimming pool.

Leisure walks

As the stunning woodland on the estate's grounds attests, the house owners knew the value of trees in a landscape. The 100 acres of historic woods date back to the 1700s. Back then, they created a shelterbelt from the harsh Atlantic weather, a fuel and timber source for heating and building materials, and a green backdrop.

The lords and ladies loved promenading with their visitors along impressive serpentine pathways. An elaborate network of softly curving tracks and trails followed the style of landscape design that was popular during the 1800s and remains timeless. The trails led deep into the woods and surroundings, allowing the walker to explore sculptural pieces of architecture and exotic plant species. The cone-shaped peak of Croagh Patrick 'the Reek' was one of the most emphasised views. Some pathways and purposely made gaps were explicitly designed to expose the most captivating views.

Be sure to allow time to explore the extensive 400-acre grounds, taking in views of Croagh Patrick, the lake, gardens, and Clew Bay as you pass through the woodland and garden. No matter the season, woodland walks lift the spirits and calm busy minds. You will surely discover hidden architectural gems and enjoy exclusive views. Imagine how the lords and ladies would bring their visitors along these paths in the past, impressing them with the grandeur and beauty of the estate’s stately woodlands. These pathways and woodland areas were known as ‘the pleasure grounds’.

Architecture and design

Grace O’Malley, the famous Pirate Queen, built a castle on this site in the 1500s. Her descendants, the Browne family, built the estate on the foundations and managed it for over 300 years. In 2017, they sold the property and the 400-acre Estate to a local family of successful entrepreneurs. The Hughes family have wasted no time polishing and restoring the house's shine. Having created a master plan for the entire estate that will ensure its sustainability and viability into the future, multiple upgrades and renovation projects have been carried out. The original dungeons, the spookiest Mayo tourist attractions, remain in the current house. Westport House is considered one of Ireland's most beautiful historic homes and is described as one of Ireland's national treasures.

Built in 1730, Westport House was designed by the famous architects Richard Cassels, James Wyatt, Benjamin Wyatt, and Thomas Ivory. It features thirty rooms and six permanent exhibitions open to the public over three floors. The main floor has formal rooms such as the Drawing Room, Long Gallery, Dining Room or smaller Library and Morning Rooms. The basement with the kitchens and servants' quarters was the engine of the house. The bedroom floor consists of the master bedrooms, nursery, and Chinese rooms. Besides showcasing the family’s private lives, it also contains a selection of exhibitions, e.g. “The Champion of the Slaves”, about the emancipation of slaves in Jamaica. Westport House's most unique feature is that it is still filled with its original antiques, artwork, and artefacts.

There is a fine collection of artwork. Among the pictures are portraits of famous individuals, such as admirals of the fleet and members of Grattan’s Parliament. Thanks to Howe Peter, the second Marquess of Sligo, antiquities from Greece got to Westport. Other Artworks include a magnificent collection of landscapes by James Arthur O’Connor and George Moore. You will also admire the works of other artists such as Chalon, Barret, Gibson, Opie, Brooks and Lavery. Some delicate plasterwork designed by James Wyatt is on show in the Dining Room. His son, Benjamin Wyatt, remodelled the long gallery of works of the enthusiast of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century portraiture. Other original items of particular interest include a fine collection of old English and Irish silver featuring 18th-century Irish ‘potato’ or dish rings and Waterford glass.