Castles · Northern Ireland
Dundrum Castle
In or near Ballylough.
Dundrum Castle — ruined castle at Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Dundrum Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1180. Managed by Department for Communities. Wikidata describes it as: "ruined castle at Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland". Coordinates: 54.2566°, -5.8740°.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Dundrum Castle, built around 1177 by John De Courcy, is a historic site located on a wooded hill overlooking Dundrum Bay. It served as a coastal defense and controls access to the surrounding area, offering visitors scenic views and a glimpse into the region's medieval history.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Dundrum Castle, a ruin standing over the town of Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was constructed by John de Courcy, sometime near the beginning of the 13th century, following his invasion of Ulster. The castle, built to control access into Lecale from the west and south, stands on the top of a rocky hill commanding fine views south over Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains, the lands west towards Slieve Croob and the plains of Lecale to the east. The Castle is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland of Dundrum, in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, at grid ref: J4047 3700.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
De Courcy's original castle may have had defences of earth and timber, but the stone curtain wall of the upper ward was probably built at the beginning of the 13th century. As with other early enclosure walls, there were no towers, but defence was assisted by covered walks along the outside wall-head. An early timber hall may have stood near the keep, where there is a double-latrine in the curtain wall. In 1203 de Courcy was expelled from Ulster by Hugh de Lacy. The castle was then captured by King John in 1210. Hugh de Lacy strengthened the castle with a massive round keep, probably employing master masons from the Welsh Marches, where such keeps were then popular. Although much of the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.2566, -5.8740
- District
- Newry, Mourne and Down
- Postcode
- BT33 0NJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- South Down
- Established
- 1180
- Opening
- Tues-Sun 09:30 - 17:00; last admission 16:30; open Bank Holiday Mondays
- Official site
- discovernorthernireland.com
Sources
- wikidata: Q4185827 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Dundrum Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Dundrum Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dundrum Castle?
- Dundrum Castle is in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (postcode BT33 0NJ).
- What is Dundrum Castle?
- Dundrum Castle — ruined castle at Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland.
- How do I get to Dundrum Castle?
- Drivers can use postcode BT33 0NJ.
- When was Dundrum Castle built?
- Built or established in 1180.
- Who runs Dundrum Castle?
- Dundrum Castle is operated by Department for Communities.
- Is Dundrum Castle free to visit?
- Yes, Dundrum Castle is free to enter.
- How do I get to Dundrum Castle?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode BT33 0NJ. It sits within the South Down parliamentary constituency.