Belvedere House is an 18th century Hunting Lodge or Villa designed by the well-known German architect Richard Cassels, one of the greatest architects working in Ireland in the 18th century for Robert Rochfort, who was the 1st Earl of Belvedere. It was built in 1740.
Robert Rochfort is known as the ‘wicked Earl’ because he imprisoned his wife Mary Molesworth after accusing her of having an affair with his brother Arthur. She was imprisoned in Gaulstown House (the family home) for …show more content…
As a result of the web, visitor numbers have increased with Westmeath receiving 95,000 in 2013 spending some €43 million. (Regional tourism performance in 2013, 2015) You can also follow Belvedere on Facebook and Twitter. The site can even be translated into other languages via Google translate. Westmeath County Council has its own website where customers can access all of its services.
Due to the downturn in the economy and the immigration of 10’s of thousands of people it would be reasonable to say this has had an impact on visitor numbers and annual membership. The most recent CSO figures show the population of Westmeath in 2006 as 79,346 and in 2011 as 86,164. Not a very big increase over 5 years which might prove that a certain part of the population had immigrated.
The staff numbers at Belvedere have been reduced and staff numbers at Westmeath County Council have also dropped as a result of population shift and the economic downturn. Whilst the economy is on the way up again, it will take many years for it to have any meaningful impact on the economy of