Wicklow Castle offers rare chance to see inside in Heritage Week initiative
Built in Kilpedder in the 1730s by the Pearse family and most likely designed by Edward Lovett Pearse, Altidore Castle belonged to several owners and was briefly a tuberculosis sanatorium before being bought by the Emmet family in 1944.
The living heritage of Altidore Castle comes from the house. but also the current family residing in the property. The Emmets, exiled from Ireland after Robert Emmet's 1803 rebellion, have lived in Altidore for four generations and each tour is carried out by a family member.
Speaking about the tours, Philip said: 'The guided house tour comprises several rooms filled with artefacts from both sides of the family and finishes with the Emmet gallery, a collection from the family relating to the United Irishmen, Robert and Thomas Addis Emmet. The house is very much lived in and combines being a historic house while also a family home.'
Talking about why they open their home for Heritage Week, Thomas added: 'As a member of Historic Houses of Ireland, it's so important to share our built heritage with the public, and Heritage Week is an ideal opportunity to do this.
"We are especially excited about the Heritage Open Doors initiative, where houses usually closed to the public are open on the first weekend of National Heritage Week.
"We are open for two house tours each day at 2pm and 4pm. Tours will cost €10 per person with a discounted rate of eight euros for students and children. As tours sell out very quickly and we have limited space, booking ahead is essential.'
Taking part in Heritage Open Doors in Wicklow is Enniskerry's Knockmore House, which will be open on Sunday, August 17 from 2pm to 5pm.
The Regency-style house was built around 1850, with gardens created by two sisters in the 1880's, and further developed by well-known garden writer Ruth Isabel Ross, who published a book about the garden in 1999.
Since the present owners purchased the house in 2019, a major restoration of the property has taken place, and work on the gardens is now underway. There are lawns, borders, ponds, a vegetable garden, a wild garden, woodland and many large old trees.
A guided tour of the house and gardens will begin at 2.30pm, followed by hot drinks and cake from 3.30pm. Entrance costs €5 in cash only, and children will go free.
Bookings need to be made via Jacqueline Roberts at arbutus.lodge31@gmail.com
To book tickets to visit Altidore Castle, go to the Heritage Week website or Altidore Castle's Instagram and Facebook.
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