Beautiful rooms and treasures
Mount Stewart has been the home of the Londonderry family for over 250 years. After an exciting three year restoration project costing £8m, this neo-classical mansion now reflects the 1920 to 1950 era, when Charles, the 7th Marquess of Londonderry, and his wife Edith, Lady Londonderry, made it their much-loved Irish home.
One of several family houses, Mount Stewart remained Edith’s favourite. In meticulously redesigning the house and boldly planting the now world famous gardens, she breathed new life into the demesne and transformed it into a colourful and scent-filled sanctuary for her family and a retreat where many illustrious friends came to relax and escape public life.
Billiards Room
The painting Circe and the Sirens by Edmond Brock gives a first glimpse of Edith and her three youngest daughters, along with her husband Charles and the artist as herms, immortalised in oil paint set in the Italian garden.
Central Hall
The Central Hall and east end of the house were built in the 1840s, This space is, architecturally and symbolically, the most important and impressive space in the house. It forms the main public and family circulation space within the building (corridors off provided access for servants), and provides access to the principal reception rooms, the West wing, the East Stairs and service wing.
The floor has recently undergone a major restoration, revealing the original Scrabo stone, hidden from veiw for most of the 20th century.
To the east end of the hall is Mount Stewart’s new silver display. It holds an exquisite selection of the Londonderry family silver dating from 1694 to mid-20th century, with a Butler’s book on hand to explore further the heritage of the collection.
Dining Room
The couple frequently hosted dinner parties and entertained leading politicians including Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain. The dining room table can seat at least 20 people and is set for dinner with a formal service. The place cards reveal some of the honoured guests that stayed at Mount Stewart.
One of the most significant family collections sits proudly around the walls. The Empire chairs from the Congress of Vienna include the one reputedly used by Viscount Castlereagh as British Foreign Secretary. Edith had them skilfully embroidered in the 1930s with the coats of arms of those present at the Congress.
Black and White Stone Hall
In the Black and White Hall are pieces of armour captured from the Imperial Guard by the 3rd Marquess, General Charles Stewart, the distinguished and flamboyant ‘Soldier Marquess’ who fought under Wellington.
Across the Hall is a white marble ideal head of Helen of Troy by Antonio Canova. One of the leading sculptors of the age, he presented this bust to Lord Castlereagh after the Napoleonic wars.
Visit the Pot Pourri room where Edith dried the flowers from the garden. She made up her own recipe of pot pourri that she gave away as gifts and sold for charity.
Lord Londonderry’s Sitting Room
Step into the private world of the debonair 7th Marquess, Charles, known as Charley, amid the plethora of personal possessions that fill his office. Described as a charming man, he was a keen politician and sportsman and his lifelong passion for aviation is reflected in the room.
Keep an eye out for the collection of humorous caricature statuettes of several politicians including Lloyd George and the Duke of Wellington.
The Little Dining Room
Charles and Edith enjoyed relaxed family breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas here with the vista out over the lavish Sunk Garden that Edith lovingly created in 1920-21.
The room houses a traditional Irish wake table and a collection of Berlin cabinet plates from 1810-20, a diplomatic gift acquired by Charles Stewart when he was British Ambassador in Berlin.
Lady Londonderry’s Sitting Room
Edith’s private sitting room gives a glimpse into the real passions of this clever, warm-hearted and captivating innovator, designer, mother, author and legendary society hostess. It is brimming with her most cherished possessions and was the haven where she set about researching, planning and designing the inspirational gardens for which Mount Stewart is now so famous.
Peruse the bookcase-lined walls full of gardening compendiums and books from friends and guests to Mount Stewart. There are a number of original first editions sent to Edith by their authors inscribed with personalised notes, including the poet WB Yeats, novelist John Buchan and playwright George Bernard Shaw.
West Stairs and Landing
Hanging in pride of place on the staircase is the famous masterpiece by George Stubbs of Hambletonian, Rubbing Down in a new gilt frame. Hambletonian was a hugely successful racehorse which won virtually every race it ran.
On reaching the landing there are more family portraits. The double doors opposite the stairs led to the private bedrooms of Charles and Edith.
On the ground floor is a collection of ceramics including a fine Compagnie des Indes part dinner and dessert service, opulently decorated with the Cowan coat of arms. These date back to the beginning of the family’s fortunes when Alexander Stewart married wealthy heiress Mary Cowan in 1737.
Bedroom Suite - Florence, Rome and Naples
With more than 20 bedrooms, Mount Stewart was a regular retreat for eminent guests like Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. Of all the bedrooms at Mount Stewart bearing an Italian name, it is Rome which is unquestionably the most sumptuous. Bedecked in plush velvets and damasks the room is dominated by a coroneted and gilded bed.
East Stairs
The East passage leads to the Chapel, which at one point was where the Marquess and Marchioness had their private rooms.
Along the cantilevered staircase hall hang portraits of Alexander Stewart and Mary Cowan, who bought the land that became Mount Stewart demesne in 1744. Beside Mary hangs Alexander Cowan whose fortune she inherited, providing the funds for the purchase.
In the 1850s, Frederick, 4th Marquess of Londonderry created the double height Chapel in memory of his father, the 3rd Marquess from rooms that had been his private bedroom and sitting room.
Chapel
The beautiful Chapel is still used every month by the family and visitors, for a communion service. A place of celebration and mourning, the Chapel has hosted the family’s marriages, christenings and funerals and has been an integral part of life at Mount Stewart.
Edith’s youngest daughter, Lady Mairi, was married here in 1940. After her death in 2009 her funeral was held here before she was buried at Tir N’an Og, Land of the Ever Young, which is the family burial ground, situated north of the lake.
Both Charles, in 1949, and Edith in 1959, passed away at Mount Stewart and their funerals were held in the Chapel.
