Learn all about the history of the real life 'Downton Abbeys' visit Waterford County Museum and view our latest exhibition 'The Big Houses In Waterford', which will be officially opened on Thursday 22nd September 2011 at 8.00pm.
This is the first such exhibition on Country Houses to be mounted in Waterford. The museum has an extensive photographic archive and we have picked out a selection of fascinating photos relating to the Big Houses of Co. Waterford. The exhibition is divided into themes such as - Interiors, gardens, costume, the hunt, artists and the Big House, libraries, leisure, servants, the War of Independence, etc.
There are original letters, maps documents, artefacts and pictures from many of the 'Big Houses' in Waterford, including material on the Chearnley family of Salterbridge House, Cappoquin, the Poer family of Belleville, Cappoquin (later the home of the writer Molly Keane) and the de la Poer family of Gurteen le Poer, Kilsheelan. Included is a manuscript account of the 1866 Parliamentary Election held in Dungarvan.
The museum will stay open until 10.00pm on Friday (thanks to the efforts of our volunteer members) but if you can't make it on Culture Night the exhibition will be open Monday to Friday for several months from 10a.m. to 5p.m.
Admission Is Free