‘Downhill Re-Visited’ at Peter Thompson Hall

Their last presentation on the Earl Bishop received considerable acclaim locally, coinciding as it did with the publication of Stephen’s successful new biography of ‘The Earl Bishop’.

Published by Great Sea in Portstewart last year, the book told the story of the unconventional cleric with the colourful lifestyle, who chose to build a home on a stark and storm-battered Irish promentory, in spite of the fact that throughout the majority of his adult life he chose to spend many months each year travelling in warmer climes, meddling in European politics and collecting Greek, Roman and more modern works of art and sending them back to adorn his various palaces in England and Ireland.

As on previous occasions, Peter will also be on hand with his digitising talents, in order to illustrate and delight the eyes with restored, and, one may confidently expect, stunning images of the Big House’s past splendours.

The forensic talents and the keen nose for lost and obscure yet fascinating historical detail, which Stephen has displayed in the research for his book and in the preparation for his many recent talks on the Bishop and his life, are expected to be on display again when he sets out to guide his audience through, as his title of his presentation suggests, the ‘Lost and Found Images of Downhill’, which his researches have unearthed.

On this occasion it is not the Bishop and the man but his fine house which will be at the centre of attention, a magnificent property whose days of glory spanning three centuries richly deserve to be brought to life again and preserved.

The Castlerock Community Association is extending a warm invitation to all friends of Downhill to come along to Castlerock on Saturday at 2pm to join what is expected to be a fascinating journey into the past. Your £3 admission fee (donations will also be welcome) also covers tea/coffee and homebaked scones and there will be an opportunity to buy Stephen’s volume on the Bishop on the day.