The eighteenth-century romantic landscape consists of gardens, lakes, woodland, and architectural features. It was transferred to State ownership in November 1993 from the Salesian Fathers who had taken care of it since 1941. The formal Gardens form the center-piece of the property and were designed by the famous architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) and probably landscaped by Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932). As this site is managed by the OPW, school tour visits are permitted free of charge provided certain conditions are met.