Downhill
& Mussenden Temple
Castlerock, Co. Derry,
BT51 4TW, UK.
Tel.
+44 (0) 28 7084 8728 |
|
The Mussenden Temple lies in the Downhill Estate, which is situated
west of Castlerock on a rugged headland overlooking the County
Derry coast.
The Downhill
Estate was where the unconventional Earl Bishop Frederick Hervey
built a palatial mansion, now in ruins, in the 1780's. He also
built the small domed building of the Mussenden Temple, which
perches dramatically on the edge of a precipitous clifftop, overlooking
Benone beach and Castlerock golf course.
The temple was built as a
summer library and modelled on
the Temple of Vesta in Rome, and is a peculiarly captivating sight,
with magnificent views over the coast to Donegal.
The meagre
remains of the palace can still be seen, and beside the castellated
ruins sits the mausoleum Hervey built for his brother. There are
wonderfully scenic walking paths along the cliffs and around the
beautiful landscaped gardens of the estate, which is now owned
by the National Trust. At the hamlet of Downhill is a lovely beach,
while nearby Downhill Forest is great for hiking and biking.
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