Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum and Gardens

Wexford

Overview

3h
Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum and Gardens is a 3 in 1 visitor attraction located just 5 minutes from Wexford town. The estate is home to Johnstown Castle, The Irish Agricultural Museum and over 120 acres of stunning woodlands. The Castle stands on an estate first granted to the Esmonde family as thanks for their role in the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, and its fortunes over the centuries reflect the richly layered story of this storied region in the centuries that followed. In the 19th-century, the Grogan family re-imagined and remodelled the castle with a romantic, neo-Gothic design – delivered with the help of Daniel Robertson, who also shaped the gardens at the Powerscourt Estate. Together they created the neo-Gothic castle you see today, adorned with turrets and towers, and our remarkable 86-metre servants tunnel that kept busy staff out of sight in one of Ireland’s most distinctive 'Big Houses'. Johnstown’s sumptuous gardens and parkland is studded with three lakes and bordered by 5km of woodland walks. Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum & Gardens is managed and cared for by the Irish Heritage Trust – a non-profit organisation that conserves the house and makes it available for the enjoyment of all. The Irish Heritage Trust works in close partnership with the OPW, Fáilte Ireland, and other organisations, as well as corporate partners. The funds we generate from your visit, the coffee you buy at the Peacock Café, and the event tickets you sign up for, all support the important work of caring for and maintaining Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum & Gardens. The Irish Agricultural Museum is housed in the Johnstown Castle Estate’s farm courtyard buildings. This absorbing, family-friendly stable courtyard, brings together intriguing objects and stories that reflect the realities of life in rural Ireland over the centuries. The museum’s plentiful collections – carefully built up over 40 years – reflect traditions and progress in rural Ireland.

Opening times

Monday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Facilities

  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • Galleries & Museums
  • Country Houses & Gardens
  • Arts & Culture
  • Walking and Hiking
  • Sightseeing
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Mature visitors
  • Nature Lovers
  • Historical
  • Castles
  • Heritage Sites
  • Solo Visitors
  • Mobile Ticket Accepted
  • Retail On Site
  • Wifi
  • Food On Site
  • Toilets
  • Guide Dogs Welcomed
  • Car Parking Available
  • Guided Tours
  • Credit Card Accepted
  • Covid-19 Guidelines
  • Paid Visit
  • Paper Ticket Accepted
  • Families
  • Friends
  • Kids
General Entry Tickets - Access to Gardens and Museum ONLY
  • Adult - €9 
  • Concessions - €7
  • Children ( ages5-16) - €4
  • Children Under 5 - FREE
  • Members of Johnstown Castle - FREE

Castle Tour (price add on to general admission)
  • Adult + €4
  • Concession + €3
  • Child + €2
  • Child under 5 - FREE
  • Members of Johnstown Castle - FREE

Members of the Irish Heritage Trust Free
Society of Ireland (RHSI) 50% off entry price
Castle Tour Details

  • Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time to allow time for check in.
  • Walking time from the visitor centre to the castle is approximately 5 minutes.
  • The tour takes approximately 60-75 minutes.
  • Dogs are not permitted inside the castle, unless they are a service dog.
  • Food and beverages are not permitted inside the castle.
  • The Castle is fully accessible.
  • Please note that the tour may not be suitable for children under 10.
Tickets booked for daily admission and/or Castle Tours are non-refundable, but can be moved with suitable prior notice (Minimum 72 hours).

In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary at times to change the details or itinerary of the event or of a Booking. The Company reserves the right to make reasonable alterations to any Booking made. In that event the Company will inform the Customer as soon as reasonably possible. This does not affect your statutory rights.
A wonderful 3 in 1 visitor attraction with things to do for all the family. With over 5km of beautiful lake walks it's the perfect place to relax and enjoy nature in all its glory, including our resident family of over 30 peafowl. 

The Castle itself has been painstakingly restored and now hosts up to six, one-hour public tours daily (prebooking recommended). As part of the tour, you will explore how the lords and ladies of the time lived in luxury, however, you will finish downstairs in the servants quarters, exiting through our 86m Servants’ Subterranean Passageway.

After your tour,  explore the 20 exhibitions within the Irish Agricultural Museum. Every object has a story, and artefacts retrieved from across the country reveal details about family life and community in Irish society from the 18th century onwards too.

The Irish Agricultural Museum has been awarded full museum accreditation in recognition of the quality of the collection care provided by the Irish Heritage Trust, the Irish Agricultural Museum Board and all the volunteers who have helped throughout. The award also recognises the ways the museum animates Irish heritage and the visitor experience for all, and we are so proud to have achieved the highest standard of accreditation in Ireland.

Contact details

  • Oldtown Lane
  • Johnstown Castle Estate
  • Wexford
  • Ireland
  • Y35HP22
0539184671
info@johnstowncastle.ie
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