Paintworks NI: The Chapel, Donegall Park Gardens. Call Belfast Castle Estate & Cave Hill Visitor Centre, Email Belfast Castle Estate & Cave Hill Visitor Centre, Visit the website for Belfast Castle Estate & Cave Hill Visitor Centre. [36], In October 1574, during the Enterprise of Ulster, The 1st Earl of Essex and his retinue were invited to a feast at Belfast Castle by Sir Brian mac Feidhlimidh Nill (Sir Brian McPhelim O'Neill), Lord of Lower Clandeboye. However, the outside of the castle building is even more impressive. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"We can't (and we've tried!) Although a visit to the mighty Belfast Castle is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows thatll make your visit that bit more enjoyable. Sorley Boy McDonnell took Dunluce by force from the McQuillans after the Battle of Orla in 1565. Curiously, it was only when he no longer owned Belfast that Lord Donegall became interested in actually living there. Under the various Land Acts passed by the British Parliament during the 1880s, 1890s and early twentieth century (especially under the Wyndham Land Act of 1903[92][93][94][95]), the huge country estates in Ireland, including those of the Shaftesbury family in Ulster, were broken up and sold off, mainly being sold to the tenant farmers who actually lived on and farmed the land. It appears that it has been closed for much of 2021. The landmark, named for the five caves located on the side of the cliffs, contains a wealth of natural, archaeological and historical features, including Belfast Castle. He then ruled as a petty king until 1204 until he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy. [6] This branch of the U Nill carved out a tath or Gaelic territory for themselves in South Antrim and North Down which became known as Clann Aedha Budhe (Clandeboye). A town near the castle was uncovered by archaeologists in 2011 that is also known as Dunluce. [113] It has been described by the architectural historian Dixie Dean as a 'High Victorian Picturesque essay'. Not only was it important in the past, but its also still a popular location to visit for Irish folks, visitors to Northern Ireland, and historians alike. The publicity manager at the time felt that the castle should either be re-purposed into a tea and dance room, or perhaps a museum and art gallery with refreshment rooms. Situated on the lower slopes of Cave Hill Country Park, Belfast Castle is a short 20-minute drive from Belfast City Centre, a 10-minute drive from Belfast Zoo and a 12-minute drive from the historic Crumlin Road Gaol. In a battle fought in November 1597 against the MacDonnells at Altfrackyn (also known as Aldfreck), a townland just north of Ballycarry, the English were defeated, with 180 of their soldiers being killed. Natural Stone Database: Buildings - Belfast Castle, Antrim Road, Belfast. The Cellar Restaurant is currently closed to the public. The first Belfast Castle was built by the Normans in the late 12th Century. Many other establishments can be visited alongside the castle like The Cave Hill Country Park, The Cave Hill Adventurous Playground, The Cave Hill Visitor Centre, the Belfast Zoo, and many more. Featuring on theHBO TV serieswasnt the first time that Dunluce Castle was shown to the world. Below, youll find everything from the brilliant Cave Hill Walk to the panoramic views of Belfast City to much, much more. [30] English forces, under the command of Sir John Chichester, soon marched north to retake Belfast Castle from the U Nill of Clandeboye, which they did in July 1597. [74], Lord Donegall sold off Donegall House in the centre of Belfast in the early 1820s, establishing his main residence at Ormeau House thereafter. Other items that have been uncovered are gaming pieces, bone combs, a bronze tuning pin, dress fastenings, and wine glass stems. Yes! Of all the private owners of the new Belfast Castle, the 9th Earl was to own it the longest, presiding over the castle until January 1934. Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex Wikipedia. [80] He decided to build what has been described as a new 'princely mansion'[1] for himself in the 1860s on what was then the northern edge of Belfast,[1][77] just over a decade after the Great Famine had ended. Belfast Castle estate is situated on the lower slopes of Cave Hill County Park in the North of Belfast. [6][10][20][21] The U Nill almost certainly had Belfast Castle rebuilt at some stage, probably as a Gaelic towerhouse, either building on the same site as the Norman castle or else building their towerhouse very near to that site. Belfast Castle stands 120 m (400 ft) above sea level on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Photo right: Joy Brown (Shutterstock). Another way is to take a taxi from Belfast to Belfast Castle, hire a cab or simply walk. Archaeological evidence suggests humans have been living on Castle Rock since 850 BC. [1][7][8] The main entrance into the Belfast Castle Demesne is now where Innisfayle Park meets Downview Park West, just off the Antrim Road (part of the A6). If you have a question that we havent tackled, ask away in the comments section below. Dunluce Castle is an important historical marker perched high on a cliff along the causeway coast of County Antrim. [9] Designed by John Lanyon, the son and business partner of Sir Charles Lanyon, the Gate Lodge is located on the Antrim Road. Belfast rumour has it that the clock tower leans because of the prostitutes that used to occupy the building. Have you visited this castle before? The new Belfast Castle was built on what had been the Donegall family's deerpark on the slopes of Cave Hill,[1][7] a location which was, at that time, on the northern outskirts of Belfast, just off the Antrim Road. Chichester, who had been one of the most ruthless English commanders in Ireland during the Nine Years' War,[36] received a King's letter in August 1603, which officially put him in charge of Belfast Castle and its surrounding lands. Patrick McKay, 'Leabhar Cloinne Aodha Buidhe: Bardic Poetry of the Nills of Clandeboy' in John McGurk (Editor), Katharine Simms, 'O'Neill of Clandeboye (Clann Aodha Buidhe)' in. One of its most iconic features is the winding stone staircase on the garden faade, whose greyish-brown colour stands out against the burnt sienna sandstone and brick-red detail. This new residence was located on what was then the northern edge of Belfast. [43] This huge estate covered almost all of Inishowen,[44][45] and had been seized by the Crown from the Dochartaigh (O'Doherty) clan in the aftermath of the rebellion of Sir Cathaoir Ruadh Dochartaigh (Sir Cahir Rua O'Doherty), Lord of Inishowen, in 1608. In order to allow access to your location, you need to update your site settings through your browser settings to allow this site access to your location. There are four ways to get to Carrickfergus from Belfast. It was inhabited by both the feuding McQuillan and MacDonnell clans. It also features the plants and animals that live in Cave Hill County Park within the woodland, heath, cliffs, caves and two nature reserves. Even if you just visit for the views out over the city, the short 20-minute drive from the city centre out to the castle are well worth it. Youll find everything you need to know about visiting Belfast Castle below. There are three ways to get to Belfast Castle. The castle estate passed down through the Donegall family, hence the coat-of-arms above the front door and on the north wall of the castle. This is the location that Lewis states as his inspiration for Cair Paravel in Narnia. The new, Victorian castle was built in the Scots Baronial architectural style and was designed by the Belfast firm of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. 1. The town also had a dungeon and a courthouse. It was situated in Belfast city centre on Castle Place. Dunluce served as the seat of the Earls of Antrim until the familys fortunes changed following the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Rooms of the castle have now been converted into public tea rooms that can be booked for tea parties or meetings. Image by William Miller from Wikimedia. [6][11][16] Although originally built in either the late twelfth-century or the early thirteenth-century, this castle was 'rebuilt' on several occasions between the 1220s and the 1550s, possibly being 'rebuilt' on the same site or on an adjacent site. The Park is also home to McArts Fort, an ancient fort which stands at 1,200 feet above sea level. The castle remained in The Shaftesbury familys possession for several years untilit was passed onto the city of Belfast in 1934. The new castle was built of stone and timber on the same site as the previous castle. The Queen's University of Belfast: The History Of The City. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are the opening hours for Belfast Castle? Homepage, Ideas [10][15] This original 'Belfast Castle', located on what later became the County Antrim side of the River Lagan, was probably in the area now bounded by Donegall Place, Castle Place, Cornmarket, and Castle Lane in the centre of what is now Belfast City Centre. The Mermaids Cave is located just below Dunluce Castle which is, in reality, a large cavern. [26][28] Domhnaill, whose chief residence was Donegal Castle in Donegal Town, had invaded Clandeboye with his army and 'took and demolished the Castle of Belfast, and then returned safe to his house loaded with immense spoils'. https://visitbelfast.com/partners/belfast-castle-estate-cave-hill-visitor-centre/. [9][77][101][103][105] This Church of Ireland chapel was originally designed and built as a mortuary chapel and new mausoleum for the Donegall family, specifically being built as a memorial to Frederick Richard, Earl of Belfast (1827-1853), the son and heir apparent of The 3rd Marquess of Donegall. Reginalds body was washed ashore the following day but Maeves body was never recovered. Belfast used to have a castle in the middle of the city centre, and ships in the middle of the high street. It was The 3rd Marquess of Donegall who finally sold off almost all of his family's Belfast estate in the 1850s. The restaurant is open for dinner until 9pm on Thursday to Saturday evenings. If you select a location more than 15km from the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, your location will be set to Belfast City Centre. [6][10] In July 1603, Sir Arthur Chichester (1563-1625; later created, in 1613, The 1st Baron Chichester), then Governor of Carrickfergus Castle, offered to rebuild Belfast Castle if he was 'granted' Belfast and its surrounding lands by the Crown. [87][106], Harriet, Countess of Shaftesbury (1836-1898), the wife of The 8th Earl of Shaftesbury, later commissioned a sculpture to commemorate her brother, Lord Belfast, and her mother, Harriet, Marchioness of Donegall (1822-1860),[106] the daughter of The 1st Earl of Glengall and the first wife of The 3rd Marquess of Donegall. In the early 70s, it also featured on the inner sleeve of theLed ZeppelinalbumHouses of the Holy. Orientation Courses are also available within the castle.Belfast Castle, Northern Ireland, by Andrew Hurley, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. [21][37][38] The feast was to celebrate a newly signed peace agreement between the English Crown and Sir Brian. Archaeologists have uncovered the house of a Scottish merchant that was erected in the first part of the 17th century. [30][31][32][33][34] Chichester was killed by the MacDonnells during or immediately after this battle, possibly by being beheaded. A second castle was constructed bySir Arthur Chichester, the baron of Belfast, on the same site in the year 1611. A Castle existed from the earliest times, but the arrival of John De Courci, in 1171, made a great change throughout the North of Ireland.
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