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Your Guide to Downhill Demesne and Mussenden Temple in Northern Ireland – OUR CROSSINGS
Last Updated on the 7th of August, 2025
Sculpted after Tivoli’s famous temple of Vesta in Italy, the Mussenden Temple is one of the most iconic buildings in Northern Ireland. It ensures unparalleled vistas along Benone Strand right out to Magilligan Point and a fascinating history.
Originally built in 1785 by a wealthy earl as a summer library by the sea, the temple balances on a 120-foot seaside cliff above Downhill Beach and is looked after by the National Trust.
As the Earl Bishop was a keen collector and traveller, the temple was fully furnished and adorned with paintings and statuary in its heyday. A hatchway in the floor led to a secret chamber underneath the temple where Catholic priests would hold mass.
When it was built, the temple sat just 30 feet from the edge of a cliff, and a horse and carriage could once easily go around it. But in the 200+ years, erosion has worn much of the cliff face.
*Did you know – To protect the books from the damp, the library was heated by a fire burning in the basement room underneath.
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About the Downhill Demense
The cliffside location is also the home of the Downhill Demesne, an 18th-century mansion originally designed in the 1770s. by the architect Michael Shanahan for Dr Frederick Hervey, the Bishop of Derry and 4th Earl of Bristol.
Unfortunately, little remains today of the Earl-Bishop’s splendid residence at Downhill. Despite the mansion being in ruin, its former splendour is obvious.
In 1851, a fire damaged parts of the house, including Bishop’s extensive art collection – it is said that notable works by Rubens, Correggio, and Tintoretto were destroyed. Restoration of the mansion started in 1870, and the house was kept in a largely similar style, with a few alterations to the interior design and layout.
During WW2, the mansion was used as a quarantine for RAF servicemen and women. After the war, the house maintenance became too challenging – the mansion was dismantled, and much of the surrounding land was sold off.
In 1980, the National Trust took over the ruins, temple and some of the surrounding land.
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Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne today
Today, the National Trust still owns the temple and the grounds, and it remains an iconic beauty spot along the Causeway Coastal route.
The Temple is a licensed wedding venue offering a unique location and stunning views. This could be perfect if you plan on getting married and looking for a secluded, intimate spot with dramatic coastal scenery.
It is also a particular favourite of visitors and photographers who regularly stop by to savour the staggering views over the Atlantic.
In June 2024, rising star of the American roots music scene Jake Blount will perform inside the Temple’s 200-year-old walls with his unique, modern take on folk traditions.
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Things to see and do Beyond Mussenden Temple
Don’t just stop at the Temple and the ruins.
Walk around the estate and check out the monuments and walled gardens, which, back in the day, provided fruits, vegetables and flowers for the mansion. See the arboretum with its rare and non-native trees and the Bishop’s Gate.
Soak up the coastal views and explore some trails, which are all easily walked.
As the temple is located in the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there are loads to see and do when it comes to cultural and natural heritage
There’s the Bann Estuary with shifting dunes. There’s a striking basalt headland of Binevenagh, which we were fortunate to see as we arrived from Sligo.
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If you time it right, you can also see the famous Northern Irelands train service from Derry/Londonderry to Belfast which rides through the Downhill tunnel below the Mussenden Temple. It was featured in Michael Palin’s Television series ‘Great Railway Journeys of the World’
During the building of the railway, two tunnels, named Downhill and Castlerock, were cut and blasted. To this day, they remain the longest railway tunnels in Ireland, measuring 668 and 307 yards.
You can explore nearby beaches Portstewart Strand, Banone and Downhill or hike along the North Sperrins Way, the Ulster Way or the International Appalachian Trail.
Further afield, you could sample some fine whiskey at the Bushmills Distillery, play a round of golf at Royal Portrush or Poetstewart, or you could even visit Giants Causeway and see the fascinating sight of 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea.
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Where to Stay Nearby
Bishop’s Gate Lodge | a wonderful holiday cottage located a short walk from the demesne with nature and beauty on your doorstep. The lodge has a wood-burning stove, and the bedroom’s window looks over a beautiful garden with old stone walls.
- Guests – 2, Bedrooms – 1
Burrenmore Nest | nestled amongst scenic forestland on Northern Ireland’s sweeping coast, Burrenmore Nest is three glass-fronted treetop lodges that come with al fresco whirlpool baths, luxury shower facilities and a well-equipped kitchenette that cater to adults only.
- Guests – 2, Bedrooms -1
Additional Info & Facilities
- There are toilets, a car park and Als Coffee Bar at Lions Gate
- Address: Mussenden Road, Castlerock, County Londonderry, BT51 4RP
- Downhill Demesne is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Access is through the Bishop’s Gate and Lion’s Gate entrances.
- Parking is free for National Trust members, but for the rest of the visitors, it’s £7.50 per vehicle all day.
- Mussenden Temple is closed to the public (except as part of a guided tour or special event)
- You can bring your dog, but you have to keep ‘em on a lead
Getting To The Mussenden Temple
Mussenden Temple is a five-minute drive west of Castlerock on the Causeway Coast and about 20 minutes west of Coleraine – take the A2 (Mussenden Road) out of town towards Downhill.
- From Derry – It can easily be reached in under an hour from Derry~Londonderry
- From Belfast – you can reach it under 1 hour 15 minutes from Belfast by car.
- By Train – Castlerock train station is about 1/2 mile away
- By Bus – The Coleraine to Limavady bus will drop you near the demesne
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Now, over to you!
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