A long straight drive leads up to a low whitewashed house, two white pavilions standing guard either side — a 17th-century plantation home with walled gardens, a walk of clipped old yews and a costume collection out the back. One of the most charming of the National Trust's Ulster manor houses, and said to be one of its most haunted too.
What you'll see — the house by guided tour (family portraits, the library, the old gun room), the well-known Costume Collection in the outbuildings, walled gardens and an old yew walk, and parkland paths to stretch the legs on.
The costume collection — one of the National Trust's most admired, with period dress spanning a couple of centuries, laid out in the servants' quarters and laundry.
Room to wander — walled gardens, a beech walk and estate parkland outside the house, with a tea room for when you need a sit-down.
How long & who for — a half day for the house, gardens and a wander. All ages, and dogs on a lead are welcome across the grounds.
The house is guided, timed and seasonal. It usually opens spring through autumn and the grounds open wider — so check current opening times before you travel, especially if seeing inside is your main reason for coming.
National Trust members walk in free. Everyone else pays at the gate — check the current price on the day, as it changes with Gift Aid.
On site — a tea room, toilets, a car park, and picnic space in the grounds. Dogs on leads outside; assistance dogs only in the house.
Plan your visit
Members free · everyone else pays at the gate
National Trust members walk in free — house, gardens and grounds, no ticket. Non-members pay at the gate; prices shift a little with Gift Aid, so it's best to check the current admission on the day. The house is seen by guided, timed tour and tends to open spring through autumn, while the gardens and grounds usually open wider across the year. Opening hours vary by season, so check before you set off — especially if seeing inside the house is your main reason for coming.
Tea roomCostume collectionToiletsOn-site parkingDogs on leads (grounds)
Good to know:
The house is guided, timed and seasonal — it doesn't open all year round, and slots can be limited. Confirm the day's opening and tour times before travelling, especially if you're coming mainly to see inside.
Before you set off
What to wear and bring
👟Comfortable shoesGravel paths, garden walks and grass around the grounds — flat, comfy footwear beats anything slippy.
🧥A coat, whatever the skyRain here just sends everyone into the house and the tea room, and the gardens look greener for it.
🧺A picnicThere's space in the grounds for one, with the tea room on hand if you'd rather someone else baked.
🐕The dog's leadDogs are welcome on a lead across the grounds — not inside the house, where only assistance dogs go.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
National Trust members free. Non-members pay at the gate — check the current admission on the day, as it changes slightly with Gift Aid.
Opening
The house is by guided, timed tour and usually opens spring through autumn; the gardens and grounds tend to open more widely across the year. Hours vary by season — check current times before travelling.
The house
Seen by guided tour — family portraits, the library and the old gun room among the rooms. A 17th-century manor, so expect period corridors and stairs in places.
Costume Collection
A well-regarded collection of period dress laid out in the outbuildings — one of the highlights of a visit.
The grounds
Walled gardens, an old yew walk, a beech walk and estate parkland for a wander.
Food
A tea room on site for hot drinks, cakes and light bites. Picnics welcome in the grounds too.
Dogs
Welcome on a lead across the grounds. Not inside the house; assistance dogs only indoors.
Parking
On-site car park. Members park free; check current charges for non-members on the day.
How long
A half day is about right for the house, gardens and a wander around the grounds.
Questions
Before you go
Is it free for National Trust members?
Yes — members get the house, gardens and grounds for free. Non-members pay at the gate; check the current admission on the day, as Gift Aid changes it a little.
Is the house open all year?
No — the house is guided, timed and seasonal, usually opening spring through autumn. The gardens and grounds tend to open more widely. Always check current opening times before travelling.
Do I need to book the house tour?
Tours are guided and can be timed, so it's worth checking the day's arrangements ahead. If seeing inside is your main reason for coming, arrive in good time.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes — dogs are welcome on a lead across the grounds. They're not allowed inside the house, where only assistance dogs go.
Is there food?
There's a tea room on site for hot drinks, cakes and light bites, and you're welcome to bring a picnic for the grounds.
Is Springhill really haunted?
Legend has it so — Springhill is often called one of Northern Ireland's most haunted houses, with a long-told ghost story attached to it. That's folklore rather than fact, and it does no harm to the day out either way.
Getting there
Springhill Road, Moneymore, County Londonderry, BT45 7NQ — just outside Moneymore village, not far from Magherafelt and Cookstown, with a car park on site.
Springhill grew from the plantation of Ulster, when Scottish and English settlers were granted land in the north of Ireland in the 1600s. The Conyngham (Lenox-Conyngham) family built and extended the house here, and it stayed with them for some three centuries — one of the reasons the interior still feels so lived-in, with its family portraits, the old gun room and shelves of books passed down the generations. In time the house and its collections came to the National Trust, which cares for it today.
Out the back, in what were the servants' quarters and laundry, the Trust keeps the well-known Costume Collection — period dress spanning a couple of centuries. And then there's the tale that always gets told: Springhill is often called one of Northern Ireland's most haunted houses. Legend has it a lady named Olivia still walks the place — a story said to be tied to a tragedy in the family's past. It's folklore rather than fact, but it's woven so tightly into the house that the guides will happily share it, and it does nothing to spoil a bright day among the yews and the walled garden.