Portaferry Castle

Places to See | Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

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Portaferry Castle is a 16th-century tower-house, built by the Savage family and prominently located on the slope overlooking Portaferry harbour within sight of Strangford and Audley’s Castles across the water. Simpler than the earlier ‘gatehouse’ tower house, it is square in plan with one projecting tower to the south where a turret rises an extra storey and contains the entrance and stair from ground floor to first floor. The ground floor chamber is protected by a “murder hole”

Like many castles in Northern Ireland, there are three storeys and an attic, and like early tower-houses it has spiral stairs. However, like some later tower houses it lacks a stone vault as all floors were originally made of wood.

In 1635 James Montgomery repaired the castle but increased the roofing and flooring so his sister could live there in greater comfort.

The adjoining stable block is a Tourist Information Centre for Ards and is used for displays, sometimes featuring monuments from the area.

Address:  Portaferry Castle, Castle Street, Portaferry, Co. Down, BT22 1NZ

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