Official tourism website for Northern Ireland

Dunluce Castle
Causeway Coastal Route

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Castles & Historic Sites

Castles are for keeps in Northern Ireland

With more castles than a summer of Sundays, Northern Ireland is a mecca for those who like their history filled with towers, turrets and tales of yore. As well as these fine structures, you’ll find a wealth of ruins and remains dotted throughout this historic land.

Northern Ireland has some of the finest examples of old monasteries, churches, abbeys and high crosses that you are likely to find anywhere. Finding the time to see it all might be your only problem.

History and heritage in Royal Hillsborough

(Access is only available to the gardens and café at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens during the winter. The Castle reopens in the spring).

Originally completed in the 1790s, the magnificent Hillsborough Castle is the official residence of the Royal Family when they visit Northern Ireland. Take a tour through the elegant staterooms and into the majestic throne room and drawing room while finding out every inch of its fascinating history with your well-informed guide.

Not too far from Royal Hillsborough, castle chasers will find Brownlow House. Known locally as ‘Lurgan Castle’, it was built in 1833 and really has a tremendously quirky character. Its array of intricate chimney pots, each a different design, are surmounted by a beautiful lantern-shaped tower and the whole site commands superb parkland and lake views. There are some great stories of American and British troops stationed here during World War 2 and you can discover more about them over a tasty cup of tea and delicious scone in the excellent tearoom.

Set within the grounds of the impressive 820 acre demesne there are more than 30 kilometres of walks and trails within Castle Ward in County Down. The Castle Trail takes you to Audley’s Castle, which fans of Game of Thrones® will recognise as Robb’s Camp. This is a great spot in County Down to get away from it all and dig into a bit of history at the same time.

County Down is also home to two of the best-preserved abbeys in Northern Ireland. At the south east edge of Newtownards the substantial remains of Grey Abbey date from 1244. It went through quite a history before falling into disuse in the 18th century. Today, you’ll find the remains in the beautiful parkland setting of the nearby Rosemount House.

A little further south, John DeCourcy, of Carrickfergus Castle fame, also built Inch Abbey. According to the history texts he was compelled to do so for his part in the destruction of another abbey. Paying his dues you might call it.

The high cross tells the story

Up the road on the western bank of Lough Neagh sits one of Ireland’s oldest High Crosses. Standing six metres high, the Ardboe Old Cross dates from the tenth century. The twenty-two panels depict stories and scenes from the Old Testament and New Testament and are stunningly beautiful in their simplicity.

Antrim Castle to Carrickfergus Castle

Following the banks of Lough Neagh to the north, you’ll arrive at the 400-year-old Antrim Castle and Gardens which are famed for the layout of their grounds. This is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon or take an early morning stroll.

Carrickfergus Castle, to the east, has been guarding Belfast Lough since 1177. It is just as imposing today as it must have been back then and it is certainly as impressive. This is one of the finest examples of a medieval Norman Castle on the whole island and it is worth investing a little on either the guided or self-guided tours on offer.

The picturesque Glenarm Castle watches over an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Glens of Antrim, and is still a working farm estate. It has been occupied as the family seat of the McDonnells, Earls of Antrim, for some 400 years. The castle opens only occasionally to the public, but you can enjoy the glorious walled garden all year round.

As you travel along the Causeway Coastal Route, you are sure to come across the magnificent Dunluce Castle. This is one of Northern Ireland’s most famous and most photographed landmarks. The medieval ruin stands on the edge of a cliff and can be approached only by a bridge. Dating from 1500, it has a fascinating history. Would you believe that at one point it was owned by Winston Churchill and it is said that this place was highly influential in stories of C.S. Lewis. Well worth a trip.

From here, walkers will enjoy the wonderful cliff walk to Dunseverick Castle near the village of the same name. This place dates back to the time of Saint Patrick so it is of little surprise that only ruins remain. This one is more about the journey than the destination.

The turrets of Tyrone

In County Tyrone you can stretch your legs and take in some turrets at Benburb Castle, a plantation bawn built in 1611. Today, there are a number of trails to explore in the Benburb Valley Park where the River Blackwater has carved out a beautiful gorge through the countryside.

Between the lakes, castle walls will rise

Perched dominantly on the banks of Lough Erne, Enniskillen Castle in County Fermanagh, harks back to the might of the ruling Gaelic Maguires. They were the first occupants of this imposing structure almost 600 years ago and their story is an important part of the history of the whole island of Ireland. You can find out more about that story in the castle’s Inniskillings Museum.

Hidden away in the stunning Fermanagh Lakelands, you’ll come across the island of Devenish. This is home to the ruins of a parish church, St Mary’s Augustine Priory and an impressive round tower.

The island has been raided by Vikings and devastated by fires before re-flourishing in the Middle Ages as a centre of learning and literature. This spot is well looked after and gives a great insight into the monastic sites dotted around the island.

An unassuming but ancient capital in Armagh

If you’re passing through Armagh be sure to climb to the top of the ancient “Emain Macha” or Navan Fort. In early Irish history and legend this spot was the earliest provincial capital of Ulster. Today it is a large earthwork on top of a drumlin but as you look around you, you can imagine it as the site of ancient pagan ritual and ceremony.

With castles and heritage sites like these for starters, who knows where your journey into the past will take you in Northern Ireland?

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Number of results: 174

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Mahee Castle

Comber

Address

Mahee Island, Ringneill Road, Comber, County Down, BT23 6EP

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Castle / Fort

This ruined Tower House commands a position at the north end of Mahee Island in Strangford Lough. The house was built in 1570 by an English soldier called Captain Browne. Today, it is badly ruined but still of considerable interest.

Price
Free

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Portaferry Castle

Portaferry

Address

Castle Street, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1NY

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Castle / Fort

Portaferry Castle is a 16th Century tower-house, built by the Savage family. It is located on the slope overlooking Portaferry harbour.

Price
Free

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Rough Fort (Rath)

Limavady

Address

Moneyrannel Road, Limavady, Derry/Londonderry, BT49 0FJ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 7776 0650

visitor.information@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Archaeological sites

Rough Fort, on the Limavady to Ballykelly road, is a remarkable earthwork construction over 1000 years old. Known as a Rath, it was originally used as a defended farmstead into which livestock could be driven in the times of emergency.

Price
Free

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Down Cathedral and Saint Patrick's Grave

Downpatrick

Address

35 English Street, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 6AB

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4461 4922

info@downcathedral.org

Type

Type:

Cathedral

Down Cathedral, a Cathedral of the Church of Ireland with magnificent stain glass windows, box pews and beautiful organ case was built in 1183 as a Benedictine Monastry. The patron saint, Patrick is believed to be buried in the nearby graveyard.

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
146 reviews
Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum

Lisburn

Address

Market Square, Lisburn, County Antrim, BT28 1AG

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9266 3377

Ilc.reception@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Visitor Centres & Museums

The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is an award-winning museum located in Market Square, Lisburn. The permanent exhibition Flax to Fabric traces the story of linen from Ancient Egyptian times to present day.

Price
Free

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Queen's University Belfast

Belfast

Address

University Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT7 1NN

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9097 5252

queens.welcomecentre@qub.ac.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

The fine façade of the Main Building, designed by Charles Lanyon, conceals a quiet, restful quadrangle. This was the original Queen's College: the University has expanded throughout the immediate area, including all the houses on University Square.

Price
Free

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Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Harry Avery's Castle

Newtownstewart

Address

Old Castle Road, Newtownstewart, County Tyrone, BT82 8DY

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Castle / Fort

Thought to have been built around 1320 by a local chieftain of the O’Neill clan, but named after Harry Avery O’Neill,a local chief who died in 1392, this structure is considered unusual in that Irish chieftain’s of the time rarely built stone castle.

Price
Free

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Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
99 reviews
Springhill

Moneymore

Address

20 Springhill Road, Moneymore, County Londonderry, BT45 7NQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 8674 8210

springhill@nationaltrust.org.uk

Type

Type:

The National Trust

Step back to 1912 as you experience the Lenox-Conyngham home on the morning they left to board Titanic. See the exhibition, featuring pieces from the Titanic era, including 11-year-old Eileen Lenox-Conyngham’s letter, written on Titanic headed paper.

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Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Coleraine Town Hall

Coleraine

Address

The Diamond, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1DE

visitor.information@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Coleraine Town Hall presides over the central shopping piazza in Coleraine. Designed by Thomas Turner, the Town Hall, which is of major historical significance, was built in 1859 by McLaughlin & Harvey for £4,147(over £7m today).

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Ardboe High Cross

Ardboe

Address

Battery Road, Ardboe, County Tyrone, BT80 0HU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Site

A 10th Century Cross situated on a rocky height on the shores of Lough Neagh. It is a national monument which is believed to be the first High Cross of Ulster. The cross stands 18.5 feet high and 3.5 feet wide.

Price
Free

More Info
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
35 reviews
Wellbrook Beetling Mill

Cookstown

Address

20 Wellbrook Road, Cookstown, County Tyrone, BT80 9RY

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 8674 8210

wellbrook@nationaltrust.org.uk

Price
Price £3.75 to £18.75 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

The National Trust

Wellbrook is nestled in an idyllic wooded valley. As you come over the hill and see the river, the mill, its water wheel and traditional cottage, it looks as if nothing could disturb the tranquillity.

Price
Price £3.75 to £18.75 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Dundrum Castle

Dundrum

Address

Castle Hill, Dundrum, County Down, BT33 0NF

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Castle / Fort

Believed to have been built in or around 1177, Dundrum Castle was built by John De Courcy as part of his coastal defence after he invaded Ulster. Dundrum Castle is located on a wooded hill north-west of Dundrum village near Newcastle.

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Aghascrebagh Ogham Stone

Greencastle

Address

Aughascribba Road, Greencastle, County Tyrone, BT79 8HJ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 8076 1112

info@ancreagan.com

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Archaeological sites

This is the only example of an Ogham Stone inscription in County Tyrone, situated 7km north of An Creagán. It is believed to have been a burial marker or commemorative inscription incised on the stone before 500AD.

Price
Free

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Bronte Homeland Interpretative Centre

Rathfriland

Address

Church Hill Road, Drumballyroney, Rathfriland, County Down, BT34 5PH

Telephone
028 4062 3322

info@femcwilliam.com

Type

Type:

Visitor Centres & Museums

The fertile land of County Down has been farming country for centuries. It was here that Patrick Brontë, father of Charlotte, Emily and Anne - the famous Brontë sisters, was born into a farming family on 17th March 1777.

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Saul Church

Downpatrick

Address

Saul Road, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 6PE

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4461 4922

info@downcathedral.org

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Churches & Sacred Sites

Two miles outside Downpatrick is the replica of St Patrick's first church in Ireland. Close by, on the crest of Slieve Patrick is a massive statue of St Patrick. Bronze panels illustrate scenes from the life of Ireland's Patron Saint.

Price
Free

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Castle Balfour

Lisnaskea

Address

11 Church Lane, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, BT92 0GN

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Castle / Fort

Built in about 1618 by Sir James Balfour, a Scottish planter, the castle was in continuous occupation until the early 19th century.

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
31 reviews
Gracehill Moravian Settlement

Gracehill

Address

The Old School House, 19A Church Road, Gracehill, County Antrim, BT42 2NL

Telephone
+44 (0) 7903739933

gracehilltours@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Gracehill, an 18th-century Moravian settlement near Ballymena, is Northern Ireland's first UNESCO Cultural World Heritage site. Visitors can explore its preserved Georgian architecture, historic sites, and book guided tours.

Dates

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Annalong Cornmill

Annalong

Address

Marine Park, Annalong, County Down, BT34 4QG

Telephone
+44 (0) 33 0137 4046

annalong.cornmill@nmandd.org

Type

Type:

Industrial Heritage

Annalong Cornmill has been beatifully restored and is situated by the pretty Annalong Harbour, near the foothills of the Mourne Mountains.

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Craigmore Viaduct

Bessbrook

Address

Belfast to Dublin railway line, Bessbrook, County Armagh, BT35 6JR

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 3031 3170

visitorservices@nmandd.org

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Railway

This 18 arch viaduct, close to Newry, is a prominent feature of the south Armagh landscape.

Price
Free

More Info
Parliament Buildings, Stormont

Belfast

Address

Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT4 3XX

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9052 1802

events.office@niassembly.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Parliament Buildings is home to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the legislative body for Northern Ireland established under the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Good Friday Agreement).

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi