Cream tea to be served up in Lismore as Devonshire Day returns on April 7th
Devonshire Cream Tea will be served for ‘Devonshire Day’ this year on Sunday, April 7th at Lismore Castle in county Waterford. Guests to the castle on the day can take a unique opportunity to enjoy Devonshire cream tea in the Pugin Room, enjoy a talk on the history of Lismore Castle and experience a tour of Lismore Castle’s spring gardens.
Devonshire Day is a fundraiser organised by the ‘IMMRAMA Festival of Travel Writing’ committee and a ‘ boutique’ Immrama Festival will take place on June 13th-16th this year. The use of the castle and gardens for this fundraiser is by kind permission of the owner of Lismore Castle, Lord and Lady Burlington.
LOWER & UPPER GARDENS
Through the years, the event has become a perennial at the castle, with guests served Devonshire cream tea and given a historical talk on Lismore Castle by the Duke of Devonshire’s butler, Denis Nevin and also given a guided tour of the well established gardens.
The Lower Garden was formerly known as the ‘Pleasure Grounds’ and is spectacular in the springtime. A number of camellias, rhododendrons and some particularly magnificent magnolias can be found here. There has been extensive planting over the last number of years and the gardens are being constantly refined and improved.
The walls surrounding the garden date from the early 18th century and have been planted with roses, with these gardens featuring some spectacular sculptures by well-known artists.
The Upper Garden is one of the few Jacobean gardens to survive in anything like its original form. The first Earl of Cork helped by his gardener John built a high surrounding wall and a raised terrace terminated at either end by turrets. The Central Walk, which is between the herbaceous borders, is backed by yew hedges and was laid in dramatic alignment on the Pain spire of the Anglican Cathedral. The hedges provide a suitable background for the herbaceous borders as one walks towards the top terrace. Located here also re some artistic works.
TICKETS
Tea and tours take place at 11.30am, 12.40pm, 1.50pm, 3pm and 4.10pm. Entrance is by ticket only. Tickets
are available online and can be bought through the Immrama website: Lismore-Immrama.com, Eventbrite or contact Niamh at 086 3618264. Tickets cost €25 plus booking fee.