A true cliff-hanger

The Mussenden Temple was built in 1785 and forms part of the estate of Frederick Augustus Hervey, Bishop of Derry. The Herveys were the Earls of Bristol and one of Britain’s richest families. It was built as a summer library and its architecture was inspired by the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, near Rome. It is dedicated to the memory of Hervey’s cousin Frideswide Mussenden. It is perched dramatically on a 120 ft cliff top, high above the sea. It was once possible to drive a horse and carriage around the temple but severe sea erosion has brought it so close to the edge that The National Trust had to carry out cliff stabilization work in 1997 to prevent the loss of one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic buildings.

Thanks to North Shore Films for this beautiful video