CASTLES DOWNPATRICK

Castle Ward is an 18th-century mansion set on an 820-acre estate in Strangford, Downpatrick, County Down, featuring distinctive architectural contrasts in its Georgian rooms and formal gardens. The National Trust property encompasses woodland, miles of footpaths, and shores overlooking Strangford Lough, displaying one of the finest examples of a Victorian garden in Ireland with 17th and 18th-century pleasure grounds and a lake. The mansion is open daily except Tuesdays, with free-flow exploration and complimentary entry to the estate grounds. Visitors can explore period rooms and servants' quarters while enjoying the extensive landscaped grounds and historic farmyard. The property offers holiday accommodations in three estate cottages for those seeking an extended stay.

Killyleagh Castle Towers in County Down, Northern Ireland, stands as Ireland's oldest continuously inhabited castle, with origins dating to 1180 when Norman knight John de Courcy established fortifications to defend against Viking incursions along Strangford Lough. The castle's distinctive Loire Valley chateau appearance—featuring round corner turrets, steeply sloping grey slate roof, and enhanced towers—was commissioned in the mid-19th century by Archibald Rowan-Hamilton under architect Sir Charles Lanyon's design. Remarkably resilient through centuries of conflict including Cromwellian sieges in 1649, the castle remains the home of the Hamilton family, with two towers recently opened as self-catering accommodation for visitors exploring this fairy-tale medieval fortress.