Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark

Historic Sites & Castles

This collection spans millennia of history in County Down, from the Neolithic Ballykeel and Legananny Dolmens to the 18th-century architecture of Castle Ward. The region features Anglo-Norman motte-and-bailey structures like Clough Castle and well-preserved 15th-century tower houses such as Audley’s Castle and Kilclief Castle. Notable sites include the medieval ruins of Inch Abbey and Dundrum Castle, alongside the Ballynoe Stone Circle. Several locations, including Castle Ward and Audley's Castle, served as prominent filming sites for Game of Thrones.

Killyleagh Castle

Killyleagh Castle is a castle in the village of Killyleagh, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Castle Ward

Castle Ward is an 18th-century National Trust property located near the village of Strangford, in County Down, Northern Ireland, in the…

Narrow Water Keep

Narrow Water Castle is a 16th-century tower house and bawn near Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland.

Dundrum Castle

Dundrum Castle, a ruin standing over the town of Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland, must not to be confused with Dundrum Castle in…

Castlewellan Castle

A Scottish Baronial style mansion built in 1856 by the 4th Earl Annesley. Located within Castlewellan Forest Park, the granite structure features multiple turrets and overlooks a lake.

Ballynoe Stone Circle

A large Neolithic stone circle comprising over 50 upright stones surrounding a central burial mound. The site includes two internal stone cists and dates back to approximately 3000 BC.

Clough Castle

Clough Castle is an 11th century Anglo-Norman motte-and-bailey castle located in Clough, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Audley's Castle

Audley's Castle is a 15th-century castle located 1 mile north-east of Strangford, County Down, Northern Ireland, on a rocky height…

Inch Abbey

Inch Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery on the outskirts of Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Jordan's Castle

Jordan's Castle is a castle situated in Ardglass, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Kilclief Castle

A 15th-century tower house built by John Sely, Bishop of Down. Located on the shores of Strangford Lough, it represents the earliest example of a tower house in the Lecale area.