St Enda’s packs a lot into its compact size! It has about 20 acres of parkland which includes everything you would expect, from football pitches, colourful gardens, shady stretches of river and woodland to the large 18th century house, now a museum to the two Pearse brothers Padraig and William, and some very interesting Follies! It was an outing designed to provide a variety of subjects from flowers and insects to shady river bed, lovely elegant tree covered walks, and the lovely maintained house interiors, full of history, if the weather drove us inside!
We started off in the beautiful walled garden with its lavender lined gravel paths and flower beds in full summer bloom! In the centre is your typical water fountain, surrounded by circular hedging, with again lovely flowerbeds, and thoughtfully placed benches to sit and enjoy the peace. And then you see the ring of stone slabs at your feet, circling around the fountain, engraved with the lines of Pearse’s poem-The Wayfarer, written on the eve of his execution! A lovely surprise, easily missed!
From there we wandered in different directions through the grounds. Staying near the house you could head towards the courtyard, with its old classroom, visitor centre, and of course the very inviting Café! Most of us wandered further afield, though some were in need of early sustenance!!
Around the grounds, there was lots to explore, the gently flowing Whitechurch river (now merely a stream) meandering through the leafy shade, was particularly welcome! And then dotted around, you suddenly come across these intriguing,stone Follies, built by the original owner Edward Hudson, including an Ogham stone, a Druids portal and a castellated tower called the Hermitage , which gave the house its original name!
With such a variety of subjects outside and the pleasant summer weather, we left the Museum to the local schoolkids on their class tour and we retired to the courtyard for some welcoming icecream and coffee and a relaxing debrief on the morning. We think a return visit might be on the cards, later in the year to explore the Museum and maybe see the gardens again with an autumn coat on!
