Overview
Ballyedmond is a village of about 120 people on the R741 in north Wexford, and almost everyone who turns off the road here is heading for the same place: Wells House & Gardens, on the edge of the village. The estate runs to 480 acres and pulls in roughly 100,000 visitors a year, most of them families. It has been named Best Tourist Attraction at the South East Radio Hospitality Awards and voted Ireland’s number one family day out at the Irish Hospitality Awards, and those two labels tell you what to expect – this is a day out built for children first, gardens second.
The gardens and the house
The Victorian house at the centre of the estate, and the gardens around it, were designed by Daniel Robertson, the architect behind the great terraces at Powerscourt and the gardens at Johnstown Castle. He laid out the grounds here between 1830 and 1845, and his radiating parterre still reads best from the upstairs windows of the house. Spring and summer are the time to come for the planting – the rhododendrons and terrace beds do most of their work from about April onwards.
You see the house on a guided tour rather than at your own pace. Guides in Victorian costume walk you through the Versailles, Lady Frances and Daniel Robertson rooms, explaining Robertson’s changes and the daily life of the household. One thing to know before you plan around it: tour times are not fixed – the estate asks you to ring or check the website for the day you’re visiting, so don’t build the trip around a specific slot.
Family walks and the farm
The reason most families come is the woods. Two waymarked trails run through the mature trees, threaded with fairy houses and a Gruffalo walk that follows the characters from the storybook. Add an adventure playground and an animal farm, and children will happily lose an afternoon here while the adults get round the gardens. Afternoon tea is served inside the house on set dates – in 2026, 26 July, 16 August and 20 September – and needs booking ahead, as seating is limited.
If you want to stay on, the courtyard has self-catering cottages restored from the old estate buildings, with period touches and modern comforts. Seasonal deals turn up through the year, including discounts on longer stays and dining vouchers.
Practical information
- Opening hours: daily, 10:00 to 17:00.
- Admission: charged per person rather than per car; check the website for current prices before you go, and book online for weekends and peak dates.
- Time needed: Discover Ireland suggests two to three hours, which is about right unless the children take over.
- Parking: free on site.
- Getting there: on the R741, about 20 minutes from Gorey and 25 from both Enniscorthy and Wexford town; signage from the regional road is clear. Without a car, take a bus from Wexford town to Gorey (30–40 minutes) and a taxi from there; a direct taxi from Wexford is about 30 minutes.
- Facilities: picnic areas, accessible toilets, baby changing and free Wi-Fi. The house and formal gardens are wheelchair accessible; the woodland walks are natural surfaces, so wear proper footwear.
Nearby
A short drive east brings you to Courtown, a harbour village with a sandy beach, and its Kia Ora Mini Farm is another easy stop if the children haven’t had their fill of animals. For a longer trip through the county, the County Wexford guide covers the coastal walks, market towns and festivals within reach of the estate.