The Argory

The Argory is an Irish gentry house of the 1820s on a 315-acre estate above the River Blackwater in County Armagh, built for the MacGeough Bond family to designs by Arthur and John Williamson. Its Neo-classical interior is unchanged since 1900 and still carries its rare acetylene lighting and the modern Ulster art Mr Bond hung in his private rooms; the house is seen by guided tour. Outside are a rose garden with a sundial, a river walk over Bond's Bridge with kingfishers to spot, an avenue of pollard limes, a wooden play area, balance bikes to borrow and the Light Box, where children make neon art. Dogs are welcome on leads. Reviewers praise the engaging house guides, the time-capsule rooms and the courtyard cafe's coffee and cake. One tip from regular visitors: book ahead at busy times, since admission is not guaranteed without a booking, and the Bond's Bridge entrance is closed at weekends.