Name: Killruddery House
Rating: 5.0

Killruddery House

Southern Cross Rd, Ballywaltrin, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

Killruddery House is one of Ireland’s most prestigious privately owned historic estates, located in Bray, County Wicklow. This magnificent 800-acre estate combines a grand historic mansion with world-renowned 17th-century gardens and a sustainable working farm. Just under an hour from Dublin, it offers visitors a perfect mix of heritage, nature, food and outdoor adventure.

The estate features beautiful formal gardens, flowering woodland, the Long Ponds, a Walled Garden, and unique areas like the Beech Circle and Lower Parterre. Families can enjoy the Faerie Woodland Village and Giant Sandpit, while visitors can explore the house through guided tours during open season. Outdoor activities include Squirrel’s Scramble Tree Adventure Park, Alive Outside activity centre, Nordic Walking, Mike’s Hikes, craft workshops, and seasonal events. Killruddery Yard also offers farm-to-table dining, a farm shop, pizza shed, tea room and seasonal supper clubs.

Garden entry for non-members costs €10.50 for adults, €9.50 for concessions and €4 for children (4–12 years). A combined House and Garden ticket is €17.50 for adults, €15 for concessions and €9.50 for children, while house tours alone for members are €6 per person. Annual memberships range from €80 (Copper Beech) to €120 (Gold Finch), offering free garden entry and guest privileges.

Killruddery is not just a historic house but a complete countryside experience where nature, food, history and adventure come together. Whether you visit for a peaceful garden walk, a family day out, or an outdoor activity, the estate offers something special in every season.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

Our Gardens

The Forecourt: The Forecourt, with finely curved granite balustrade, was designed by Daniel Robertson as part of the mid-nineteenth Century enlargement of the mansion. The fine pair of entrance gates is the work of Edward Sheldon. To the right of these gates, viewed from the courtyard is an unusual stand of Blackwoods, Acacia melanoxylon, a tree-like wattle from Australia found in Ireland in only a few favourable locations. These trees flower prolifically in springtime.
South Terrace: The South Terrace in front of the house gives a panoramic view of the Long Ponds and the Lime Avenue in the parkland beyond the fountain. To the left is ‘Eve’s Bed’, a statue of Eve reclining. On the left of the East Lawn, bordering a wood, are zinc alloy statues by Milt Kahl of Potsdam, Germany. On these East Lawns stands a large Turkey oak, Quercus cerris, planted to mark the birth of the present Lord Meath.
The Angles: The Angles can be approached by the granite steps through the Rhodie Rood, a planting of Himalayan rhododendrons, Rhododendrons arboreum. The plants are about 150 years old and replace a maze that is known to have been on this site originally. Note the Chinese varnish tree, Rhus portaninii and the Maidenhair tree, Ginkgo bilabo. Beside the steps leading into the Angles find the Cupressus torulosa.
The Beech Circle: The Beech Circle, part of the 17th Century garden, boasts a round pond 60 feet in diameter in the centre of which is an elaborate French fountain with many jets. The double row of beeches, now more than 250 years old, allowed guests to walk on an inside path with ‘windows’ cut in the hedge affording views of the pond and its fountains. Also note the 19th Century statues representing the four seasons cast by Barbezat & Cie of Val d’Osne in France.
Lower Parterre: Between the Beech Circle and the garden wall, below the house, lies the 19th Century garden laid out in 1846 by Daniel Robertson, famous for his work at Powerscourt. He laid out the lower parterre or sunken garden. Sir George Hodson, a neighbour and amateur architect, designed the enchanting ornamental Dairy which is now the Garden’s Tea Room.
Walled Garden: The Walled Garden can be accessed from the general Garden Entrance and is now providing an array of delicious ingredients for our Kitchen, Tea Room, Grain Store and Farm Shop. The Apple Orchard is harvested annually for Killruddery’s own apple juice and we keep bees, hens, and pigs here. There is also a Picnic Area and Giant Sandpit for our little visitors!
Lady Ardee: Our Garden is a rich landscape of formal planting. As an insider who lives here all year round, I almost take its formality for granted! When I do take time to walk and be in the Garden, it is the life that thrives within it that refreshes and surprises me. So many species of bird, red and grey squirrels, occasional rabbits, foxes and deer, butterflies, beetles, spiders, stoats – and endless unplanted wild flowers or escaped seedlings.

Estate Activities

Alive Outside: Home to HELL & BACK and Ireland’s Fittest Family TV show, Alive Outside is Ireland's premier outdoor activity centre, offering a unique range of fun team building activities, suitable for all ages and fitness abilities. So whether you are a corporate, school, sports team or parent looking for a great day out, get Alive Outside today!
Me And The Moon Craft Workshops: As Killruddery’s Creative Partner, Me and The Moon facilitate weekly workshops, birthday parties, camps and events. 2023 marks the eighth year of running Process Art workshops at Killruddery, designed to stimulate children’s curiosity, creativity and confidence. Me and The Moon has two studio locations at Killruddery; The Stable Studio (beside The Grain Store) and The Fruit Room Studio (within the Gardens). With options for toddlers to teens.
Squirrel's Scramble Tree Adventure Park: Thrill-seek through the trees with the team at Squirrel’s Scramble. ON OFFER: treetop adventure day trips, school trips, corporate events and birthday parties + ProActive Kids summer camps: open March to November (weekends, bank holidays and all school holidays 10am – 6pm): For ages of 5 years and up – in natural forest with more than 50 different challenges on 5 different levels (1.5m to 8m).
Nature Kindergarten: The Park Academy’s Nature Kindergarten is nestled in a small forest on the estate and provides a “unique classroom where the walls change colour every day and the ceiling is a kaleidoscope of hues of blues, whites and greys.” Modelled on forest school principles, “children explore their environment as well as their own capabilities”.
Nordic Walking: Group classes take place in Killruddery’s fields and woods. Open parkland is the ideal surface for learning the technique. Dairine is a qualified Nordic Walking Instructor (International Nordic Walking Association) and a keen hill walker. Classes are held at the weekends and during the week by arrangement.
Mike's Hikes: Get to know the tracks, trails, and vistas of this beautiful estate, while enjoying an introduction to hiking. This is a once-a-month event – the day may vary.

Facilities

Farm Shop & Cafe: Our Farm Shop & Cafe offers sustainable, Irish handmade craft and design, drawers of knitwear and woven homeware, garden gifts, books, plants and our home-reared and home-grown meat, fruit and vegetables. We have baked goods and pantry items. Come in for a coffee and sweet treat or a wood-fired pizza!
Pizza Shed: Our Expert Pizza Chefs bake wood-fired pizzas in our Pizza Shed, made using only the best ingredients, many of which are produced within the estate’s 800 acres and Walled Garden, including Killruddery lamb and pork, kale, and wild garlic.
Garden Tea Room: Our Tea Room is open alongside the Gardens Tuesday - Sunday serving our own Brabazon Blend coffee, a delicious selection of our baked cakes, scones and pastries as well as delicious light lunch options, prepared with ingredients we have grown in the Walled Garden or sourced from local suppliers.
Grain Store: Ingredients from our Garden and Farm are used throughout our menus. We also run a Seasonal Supper Club on Saturday evenings and offer feasts for private special occasions.

What to see

Our Gardens: Killruddery’s 800-acre estate is a sustainable, bio-diverse farm that includes flowering woodland, world-renowned 17th century gardens, cut flower gardens, high-hedged pathways, a natural amphitheatre area, the Long Ponds and a Walled Garden. Established by the fourth and sixth Earls of Meath, the Gardens are now lovingly overseen by the current 15th Earl of Meath and Lord and Lady Ardee – direct ancestors of the first Brabazons to live at Killruddery in 1618.
Killruddery Yard: Killruddery yard is the central gathering space on killruddery’s 800-acre sustainable estate. A lifestyle destination, we offer slow-grown, soil-to-table produce, home & garden shopping and exceptional ingredient-led dining experiences.
House Tours: During the Garden Open Season, House Tours take place Tuesday - Sunday, at 12.00, 13.30 and 15.00, and can be booked upon your arrival to the Entrance Shop at Killruddery, larger groups are advised to book in advance by emailing [email protected]. Tour spaces are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note tours may not be available on days where private events are taking place.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

MEMBERSHIP

Gold Finch: €120 Allows a Member to invite up to 5 guests per visit.
Silver Fir: €100 Allows a Member to invite up to 3 guests per visit.
Copper Beech: €80 Allows a Member to invite up to 1 guest per visit

HOUSE & GARDENS ADMISSIONS

Members

Garden Entry: Free
House Tours: €6 Per Person

Garden Entry - Non Members

Adult: €10.50
Concession: €9.50
Child (4-12 Years): €4

House + Garden Ticket

Adult House + Garden Ticket: €17.50
Concession House + Garden Ticket: €15
Child (4-12 Years): €9.50

Pricing URL: https://killruddery.com/pages/our-gardens

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

Killruddery Is The Most Prestigious Privately-owned Historic Estate In Ireland.

The magnificent mansion and world-renowned 17th-century gardens, 18th-century farm yards and walled garden are lovingly maintained by the family that has called killruddery home since 1618.
This iconic estate in County Wicklow includes a range of environments and surprising spaces available to hire for corporate days, incentive groups, special meetings, strategy planning and team building events.
Enjoy exclusive access to an authentic Irish heritage country house and demesne full of old-world glamour. Our Orangery, Formal Rooms, Grain Store + Yards, Gardens and Estate all provide unforgettable settings for an exceptional event.
It might be a gala dinner in Killruddery’s rustic-chic barn spilling out into our picturesque Yard; a special meeting in a serene space; or a spectacular reception in the Orangery, surrounded by marble statues and sweeping views of the Little Sugar Loaf mountain.
At Killruddery we collaborate with you to make truly memorable experiences. We provide impeccable service with every attention to detail in our versatile event spaces.

Visit the website for more information.