Overview
The terraces at Wells House were laid out in the 1830s by Daniel Robertson, the architect who shaped the gardens at Powerscourt, and they are the best reason to come: a set of balustraded steps that reveal a new layer of planting with every descent. Most families, though, come for something Robertson never imagined – two woodland walks studded with fairy doors, a 20-foot dragon and a Gruffalo or two. The estate runs to 480 acres just outside the village of Ballyedmond, a 20-minute drive from Gorey in County Wexford.
If you have only a couple of hours, walk the terraces and the Lady Frances woodland loop, and add the house tour if a costumed interpreter is on that day.
A little history
The first house here went up in the late 1600s, built by John Warren, a former Cromwellian army officer. After his death it was bought by the judge Sir Robert Doyne, and the Doyne family lived on the estate until 1964. It was they who, in the 1830s, hired Daniel Robertson – already known for Powerscourt and Johnstown Castle – to remake the house and grounds with sweeping avenues, cascading terraces and an arboretum that still frames the estate today.
In 1965 the house was bought by the German industrialist Gerhard Rosler, and it has since become the visitor attraction it is now. The Lady Frances Woodland Walk takes its name from a former resident, and the route follows the same wooded ground she is said to have walked.
The gardens
Robertson’s plan plays out across three distinct areas. The terrace gardens cascade down a gentle slope behind classical balustrades, each level opening a fresh view over the estate. The radiating parterre is a piece of formal Victorian geometry, its beds filled with spring bulbs and summer bedding. The arboretum is the quiet one: a collection of mature trees where peacocks pick their way along the paths, and where a fairy house set among the trunks carries sculptures by Emma Jane Rushworth.
The woodland walks
The Lady Frances Woodland Walk is an easy 1.2 km (0.8 mile) circuit with barely any climb. Fairy doors are set into tree trunks, a stone-lined wishing well sits in the undergrowth, and wooden figures borrowed from The Gruffalo watch from behind the ferns. In spring the floor turns blue with bluebells. Running alongside it, Mogue’s Enchanted Woodland Walk (1.2 km, named for a gardener who once worked the land) goes bigger: a 20-foot dragon, trolls, witches and wizards. Children tend to spend more time hunting the creatures than covering the ground.
A word of honesty: the walks are heavily themed. That is precisely what makes them a hit with young families, but anyone coming purely for Robertson’s gardens should point themselves at the terraces and the arboretum instead.
Inside the house
Guided house tours are led by interpreters in Victorian dress. The Versailles Room is the showpiece, with ornate plasterwork, crystal chandeliers and heavy velvet drapes; the Lady Frances Room is a quieter, more domestic space; and the Daniel Robertson Room holds artwork and furnishings tied to the families who shaped the estate. Tour times shift with the season and with events, so phone ahead or check the website before you plan the day around one.
The animal farm and family days
The animal farm is the reliable break between garden and woodland. Its residents run to pygmy goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, budgies, ferrets, raccoons and the striking tri-coloured Prevost squirrel. Beyond the farm, the estate lays on archery, clay pigeon shooting, falconry displays and a children’s playground, with the former bowling alley (now Robertson Hall) used for events. The calendar is busy: a summer Doggie Day Out, a Food Fest and a motorbike show, then a Christmas run with the Wells Express train, an Elf Village and Santa. Dogs are welcome on leads, and the quiet grounds are often recommended for families with autistic children.
Staying over
Ten courtyard cottages, restored from 1600s estate buildings, are let for overnight stays. They keep the old stonework but come with wood-burning stoves and modern kitchens, which makes the estate a base rather than just a day out.
Getting there and practical details
Wells House sits on the R741 from Gorey, with free parking on-site for cars and coaches and free Wi-Fi once you are in. Public transport is thin on the ground; the nearest bus stop in Ballyedmond is about a five-minute walk away.
- Opening hours: 10am to 5pm daily, March to December.
- Admission: €9 adult, €7 senior or student, €5 child; a family ticket (two adults and up to three children) is €24 and covers the house tour, all garden areas, both woodland walks and the animal farm.
- Accessibility: the house tour and most garden paths suit visitors with limited mobility; the woodland walks are flat but unpaved, with tree roots to watch underfoot.
- Facilities: a café and gift shop operate on-site. Check the website for seasonal café hours and event days.
Nearby
Ballyedmond village is worth a short stroll for its shops and church, and Gorey is a 20-minute drive for a proper market town with a heritage centre and riverside walks. The coast is close: Morriscastle Beach is about 15 minutes away, with Ballinoulart and Ballyvaldon strands nearby. Talbot Lake and Nature Walk, also around 15 minutes off, adds a pony-feeding paddock and an adventure playground if the children still have energy.
Aim for a weekday morning if you want the gardens and house tour with fewer people, and give the estate at least three hours to do the terraces, both walks and the farm without rushing.