Belvedere House

One of my favorite hobbies is visiting different manor houses. My favorites tend to look like a time capsule to a different period--all vividly painted walls, gilt mirrors, and so many custom touches the mind boggles what it cost to create such a lovely space. I usually share the detailed walk-throughs of these adventures in my Instagram stories, but lately I've been making more of an effort to photograph and share them here as well. They might be useful for building travel itineraries if you're planning on visiting Ireland, or just a bit of gilded fluff to enjoy and imagine yourself strolling through the rooms in a Regency Era gown hunting for Mr. Darcy. These pictures are from Belvedere House in Westmeath; in addition to the House you also can wander through the grounds which include a walled garden, Victorian glasshouse, and several architectural follies. In fact, the Jealous Wall folly I shared last week (of legendary origins) is on these grounds. This was the house of Robert Rochfort nicknamed the Wicked Earl for his various misdeeds.