Dunluce served as the seat of the Earls of Antrim until the familys fortunes changed following the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. [6] However, when in Ulster, Lord Chichester, as he later became, usually resided at Joymount House in nearby Carrickfergus rather than at the 'Plantation-era' Belfast Castle. 16 Things Belfast is Known and Famous For 1. A town near the castle was uncovered by archaeologists in 2011 that is also known as Dunluce. This one was destroyed by fire barely 100 years later, leaving only the street names to mark its existence. This castle was never rebuilt. In the years after it was given to the city, there was some debate about what Belfast Castle should be used for. After three days and nights of feasting and celebrations, the English soldiers accompanying Lord Essex suddenly broke into Belfast Castle and murdered most of the family and retainers of Sir Brian inside the castle. The castle we see today was built in Scottish Baronial style, and the construction was completed in 1870. [84] This Victorian castle, which has been described by Sir Charles Brett as 'a rugged and determined exercise in the fullness of the Scottish Baronial style, perched on a highly romantic site with a superb view',[1] remains standing and in use to the present day. [101] Running the castle became ever more of a financial burden to the Shaftesbury family, especially after what remained of their County Antrim estate was sold off, under the terms of the Land Acts, in the 1890s and the years immediately before 1914. To support our blog and writers we put affiliate links and advertising on our page. WebThe first 'Belfast Castle' was built by the Normans in the late 12th century. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Visit Belfast is a trading name of Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau Limited (NI 034953). The original main entrance into the current demesne was formerly on the Antrim Road itself, where Strathmore Park now meets the Antrim Road. The restaurant is open for dinner until 9pm on Thursday to Saturday evenings. The first Belfast Castle is believed to have been erected at Bal Feirste, Belfast, by the 1220s. The medieval Belfast Castle was eventually seized by a branch of the powerful U Nill (ONeill) dynasty of the Cnel nEgain, probably at the end of the fourteenth-century or the beginning of the fifteenth-century. Interesting facts about Belfast | Just Fun Facts R.Q.I.A. To facilitate the building of this housing, almost all of the castle's demesne wall along the Antrim Road was demolished. [57][58] It is almost certain that Chichester had his 'Plantation' castle built on the site of the Gaelic U Nill towerhouse. Dunluce Castle is allegedly haunted. [115], Belfast Castle is located 400 feet (121.92 metres) above sea level on Cave Hill, overlooking Belfast in County Antrim in the east of Ulster. Yes! Its location affords unhindered views of Belfast and Belfast Lough. "}}]}, The Giants Causeway Legend And The Now-Famous Finn McCool Story, What To See And Do In The Magnificent Ballyhoura Region. Other items that have been uncovered are gaming pieces, bone combs, a bronze tuning pin, dress fastenings, and wine glass stems. It had its front on the cobbled streets. It was inhabited by both the feuding McQuillan and MacDonnell clans. It appears that it has been closed for much of 2021. [102][103] The chapel was built in the Decorated Gothic[104] version of the Gothic Revival style and was constructed in the demesne of the new castle, just off the Antrim Road. After the outbreak of the First World War Lord Shaftesbury found himself spending less and less time at Belfast Castle. The castle underwent another round of refurbishment in May 2003. 34 Fun Facts About Belfast, Northern Ireland - Traveling with the [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. In August 1603, Sir Arthur Chichester received a Kings letter which officially put him in charge of Belfast Castle and its surrounding lands. Belfast: The hidden castles under the city's shops - BBC News In 1978, the castle closed as part of a 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. After the third Marquis of Donegalls demise, the castles possession was passed ontoThe Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury: Lord Ashley. Martina O'Donnell, 'The Estate System of Landholding in County Donegal' in Jim MacLaughlin and Sen Beattie (Editors). 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. This construction in the mid-twentieth-century left both the Chapel of the Resurrection and the former Main Gate Lodge marooned in the middle of housing estates, no longer being part of the castle's demesne. Have you heard it? 1. https://ga.advisor.travel/poi/Caislean-Bheal-Feirste-11444, https://www.irelandhighlights.com/info/belfast-castle/, https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/belfast-castle-estate-p676051, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-62167256, https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=8684&js=true, https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/buildings-belfast-castle-estate, https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/history-carrickfergus, http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=17038, https://www.townlands.ie/antrim/belfast-lower/templecorran/templecorran/aldfreck/, https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/chichester-family, https://www.qub.ac.uk/about/Living-in-Northern-Ireland/Life-in-Belfast/The-history-of-the-city/, http://www.stonedatabase.com/buildings.cfm?bk=2616, https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/3094/LANYON,+charles+(sir), https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/3086/LANYON-JOHN, https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/John_Lanyon, http://www.mmtrust.org.uk/mausolea/view/486/Belfast_Castle_Mortuary_Chapel, http://www.stonedatabase.com/buildings.cfm?bk=2617, https://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/property/movein/2016/02/25/news/a-site-with-truly-divine-potential-430817, https://www.flickr.com/photos/16132340@N07/16673439845, https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/house-home/let-there-be-light-derelict-belfast-church-transformed-into-heavenly-homes-39478506.html, https://paintworksni.com/the-chapel-donegal-park-gardens/, https://content.propertynews.com/belfast-church-transformed-into-homes-at-the-chapel-development/, https://www.alskea.com/development-project/antrim-road/, https://www.rqia.org.uk/inspections/view-inspections-as/map/the-gate-lodge-dental-practice/, Historic houses in the Republic of Ireland, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belfast_Castle&oldid=1147255831, Gothic Revival architecture in Northern Ireland, Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with Structurae structure identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 19:34. Alternatively, head to the Cellar Restaurant which serves Irish and British favourites within the castle building. [75] Ormeau House, where The 2nd Marquess of Donegall died in October 1844,[76] was eventually demolished in the late 1860s.[77][78]. The 3rd Marquess would serve at Westminster as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard from February 1848 until February 1852 in the first government of Lord John Russell, while the Great Famine was still ravaging Ireland. Belfast Castle Estate & Cave Hill Visitor Centre Passed down by generations, it was later handed over to the northern Irish Government in 1928. There is no admission fee to the Belfast Castle. There is currently no charge for parking. [6][12] These Norman invaders carved out a territory for themselves which was centred on Carrickfergus, this territory later becoming known as the Earldom of Ulster. [107], Having been derelict for almost fifty years,[9][104][108] the chapel was eventually converted into luxury flats, with work being completed in 2020. He settled at what became known as Donegall House, a large terraced house on the corner of what is now Donegall Place and Donegall Square North, only a few hundred yards from the original site of Belfast Castle, right in the centre of the town of Belfast[68][69] (it did not officially become a city until November 1888[70][71][72]). These housing estates, all built in the 1950s and 1960s, included Innisfayle Park, Downview Park West and Strathmore Park. 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. [63][64][65] Following this fire, the senior line of the Donegall family (also known as the Chichester family) left Belfast. [113], The lodge was built in uncoursed squared quarry-faced sandstone, honey coloured with pink ashlar dressings. [66], The 2nd Marquess of Donegall also maintained a country residence called Ormeau Cottage on the Ormeau Demesne (which later became Ormeau Park). This shows that the kitchen did not fall. The ship sunk after hitting rocks in Lacada Point, not far from Dunluce Castle. Sorley Boy McDonnell took Dunluce by force from the McQuillans after the Battle of Orla in 1565. There are three ways to get to Belfast Castle. They will take effect next time you refresh the page. 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. It was situated in Belfast city centre on Castle Place. Recent Posts Interesting facts about Table Tennis Interesting facts about Shrek Interesting facts about the Baroque Interesting facts about Peter Paul Rubens Top 10 Amazing Facts about Dunluce Castle - Discover Walks Blog The head of the Donegall family would not live in Belfast again for almost a century, until The 2nd Marquess of Donegall (1769-1844) settled in Belfast in 1802, establishing his main residence there. Excavations have revealed the evidence of coins from the times of Charles I and Elizabeth I. [30][31][32][35] Sir John Chichester was the fifth son of Sir John Chichester of North Devon, and he was the younger brother of The 1st Baron Chichester. [6][67], Lord Donegall thus had to find an alternative residence for himself and his family. 23 The castle had its own gallows. Belfast Castle was passed to the Shaftesburys in October 1883. One ghost seen in the castle is that of Maeve Roe, the daughter of Lord McQuillan, she was the only girl and her father had chosen her husband to be Rory Og, a relative of the family. Former Chapel of the Resurrection on Belfast's Antrim Road up for sale with 1.35 million price tag. Belfast Castle is famously used to hold weddings, it is a popular avenue to hold business meetings, tea parties, and occasional dinner meet-ups! R.J. Hunter, 'Plantation in Donegal' in William Nolan, Liam Ronayne and Mairead Dunlevy (Editors), Thomas McErlean, 'Chapter 4: The Archaeology and History of. TOP 10: Facts About Belfast You Didnt Know - Ireland Before It was built in 1811-1870 on a mountain overlooking the city. If you select a location more than 15km from the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, your location will be set to Belfast City Centre. The head of the Donegall family would not live in Belfast again for almost a century, until The 2nd Marquess of Donegall settled in Belfast in 1802, establishing his main residence there. belfast castle In July 1603, Sir Arthur Chichester offered to rebuild Belfast Castle if he was granted Belfast and its surrounding lands by the Crown. To find out more about how we use your location, please read our. Belfast Shipwreck near Dunluce Castle Image by 0fjd125gk87 from Pixabay. [60], Since the construction of the current Belfast Castle in the late 1860s, its sandstone walls and towers have been restored. It was built in the 1860s and is one of the city's most famous landmarks. [10] This medieval castle may have been built by the Normans, who invaded East Ulster in the late twelfth century. It has since hosted many weddings, dances and events. Lord Shaftesbury, his wife Harriet, Countess of Shaftesbury, and her Chichester ancestors are commemorated in the form of Belfast street names, much like how the original castles are remembered.[60][88]. The last service in the chapel was held in 1972, after which the building was closed. Belfast Castle is one of the most famous landmarks in Northern Ireland. Dunluce Castle. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the chapel and the lands surrounding it were detached from the Belfast Castle Demesne. They were very influential in the city as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1907 and Chancellor of the Queens University in 1908. The Mausolea and Monuments Trust: Belfast Castle Mortuary Chapel. things you probably never knew about Dunluce Castle Of Lord Donegall's three children, all by his first wife - two sons and one daughter - Lady Harriet was the only one to have had children of her own and to have outlived her father. We create informative articles about castles and famous historical figures such as kings and queens. Sir Arthur Chichester, one of the main architects of the Plantation of Ulster, had Belfast Castle largely rebuilt in the early 1610s, mainly in brick. [6] Chichester may even have incorporated parts of the U Nill structure into his new castle. Cave Hill Visitor Centre is located in the basement of Belfast Castle. really odd question, then we're here for you. 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. 1913. On-site amenities include an excellent Visitor Centre, cafe/restaurant, toilets and a Gift Shop. The new, Victorian castle was built in the Scots Baronial architectural style and was designed by the Belfast firm of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. The Shaftesbury familycontributed a lot to the Belfast Castle through donations, charities, garden fetes, etc., for which they are famously remembered through the various streets of Belfast like the Donegall Place, Donegall Square, Donegall Road, and Shaftesbury Square. The first castle at Dunluce was built in the 13th century by Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster.