DiCamillo Companion
Ireland

Mount Stewart (Mountstewart) (Mount Pleasant)

  • House & Family History: Lady Mairi Bury (née Vane-Tempest-Stewart), donated the house and most of its contents to the National Trust in 1977. Lady Bury also provided an endowment that was partly funded by the 1977 sale of Bellini's circa 1490 "The Madonna and Child with a Male Donor, a Landscape Beyond," which formerly hung at Londonderry House in London.

    Comments: The garden at Mount Stewart is considered one of the greatest gardens of the 20th century.

  • Garden & Outbuildings: The gardens at Mount Stewart, primarily planted in the 1920s, are world famous for their sub-gardens, which include the Italian Garden, the Shamrock Garden, the Spanish Garden, the Sunken Garden, the Dodo Terrace, the Fountain Pool, and Lily Wood. In 1999 the Mount Stewart gardens were added to the tentative list as a future United Nations World Heritage Site. Athenian Stuart designed the famous Temple of the Winds in the 1780s as a banqueting hall. In 1957 the garden was given to the National Trust; in 1977 the house and its contents were also given to the trust. The estate today stands at 950 acres.

  • Architect: James Wyatt

    Date: 1783
    Designed: Alterations to House and new Stables for 1st Marquess of Londonderry (probably not executed)

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    Architect: George Dance Jr.

    Date: 1804-05
    Designed: West Wing for 1st Marquess of Londonderry

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    Architect: John Ferguson

    Date: 1804-05
    Designed: Executant architect for George Dance's West Wing

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    Architect: James Stuart

    Date: 1782-83
    Designed: Temple of the Winds for 1st Marquess of Londonderry

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  • Country Life: LXXVIII, 357, 1935. CLXVII, 646, 754, 1980.

  • Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - SOFTBACK
    Author: Colvin, Howard
    Year Published: 1995
    Reference: pgs. 291-292, 942, 1116
    Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
    ISBN: 0300072074
    Book Type: Softback

    Title: Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage, 1990
    Author: Kidd, Charles; Williamson, David (Editors)
    Year Published: 1990
    Reference: pg. P 762
    Publisher: London: Debrett's Peerage Limited (New York: St. Martin's Press, Inc.)
    ISBN: 0312046405
    Book Type: Hardback

  • House Listed: Grade A

    Park Listed: Unknown

  • "Antiques Roadshow" (2003 - BBC TV, episodes 26.15 & 26.16). "Dracula Untold" (2014 - as the grounds of Dracula's castle).
  • Past Seat / Home of: Alexander Stewart, until 1781; Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, until 1821; Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, later 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, 1821-22; Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, 1822-54; Frederick William Robert Stewart, 4th Marquess of Londonderry, 1854-72; George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry, 1872-84; Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry, 1884-1915; Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, 1915-49; Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry, 1949-1955. Lady Mairi Bury (née Vane-Tempest-Stewart), until 2009.

    Current Ownership Type: The National Trust

    Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction

  • House Open to Public: Yes

    Phone: 02842-788-387

    Fax: 02842-788-569

    Email: [email protected]

    Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

    Historic Houses Member: No

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