On the map above:

blue: places to visit that are not section 482

purple: section 482 properties

red: accommodation

yellow: less expensive accommodation for two

orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.

green: gardens to visit

grey: ruins

Today we start with places to see in Ulster. I am publishing this list first because in my researches, I have so often met with families and properties in Northern Ireland which I had not been including in my listings. I can’t wait to start exploring Northern Ireland as well as continuing my visits to Section 482 properties.

The province of Ulster contains counties Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone.

For places to stay, I have made a rough estimate of prices at time of publication:

€ = up to approximately €150 per night for two people sharing (in yellow on map);

€€ – up to approx €250 per night for two;

€€€ – over €250 per night for two.

For a full listing of accommodation in big houses in Ireland, see my accommodation page: https://irishhistorichouses.com/accommodation/

Antrim – listings, and see descriptions below:

1. Antrim Castle and Clotworthy House, County Antrim

2. Belfast Castle estate , County Antrim

3. Carrickfergus Castle, County Antrim

4. Dunluce Castle (ruin), County Antrim

5. Galgorm Castle, County Antrim – now part of a golf club.

6. Glenarm Castle, County Antrim – private, can book a tour

7. Lissanoure Castle, County Antrim – private, wedding venue

8. Malone House, Belfast, County Antrim – wedding and conference venue

9. Wilmont House (park only), Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Rose Gardens.

Places to stay. Count Antrim: 

1. Ballygally Castle, Larne, County Antrim €

2. Ballylough House, County Antrim €€

3. Drum Gate Lodge, Ballylough House, Bushmills, County Antrim €€

4. Blackhead Cutter Lighthouse keeper’s house, Whitehead, County Antrim €€ for two, € for 4/5

5. Culloden Estate and Spa, Bangor Road, Holywood, Belfast, BT18 0EX €€€

6. Dunadry Hotel, County Antrim €€

7. Barbican, Glenarm Castle, County Antrim €€

8. Kilmore House, County Antrim

9. Kiln Wing, Old Corn Mill, Bushmills, County Antrim €€

10. Larchfield Estate, Lisburn, Co Antrim, BT27 6XJ, Northern Ireland €

11. Lissanoure Estate cottages: all currently let

12. Londonderry Arms Hotel, Carnlough, County Antrim

13. Magherintemple Gate Lodge, Ballycastle, County Antrim €€ for 2; € for 3/4

14. Merchant Hotel, Belfast €€€

15. Old Bushmills Barn, 15 Priestlands Road, Antrim €€€ for two; € for four

16. Portbradden Cottage, Bushmills, County Antrim

17. Strand House, Ballymena, County Antrim

18. Tullymurry House, Banbridge, County Antrim, whole house rental: €€€ for two; € for 3-8

Weddings/whole house rental:

1. Magheramorne, County Antrim.

1. Antrim Castle gardens and Clotworthy House, County Antrim – estate and gardens open to the public, the Castle was destroyed by fire. The stable block, built in the 1840s and now known as Clotworthy House, is used as an arts centre.

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/antrim-castle-gardens-and-clotworthy-house-p704051

* Closed 1 January, 12 July, 25 & 26 December.

This website tells us:

“Antrim Castle Gardens are an absolute historical gem. You will find nothing like these 400 year old gardens anywhere else in Northern Ireland. A £6m restoration project, which received generous support from Heritage Lottery Fund, has now preserved this historic site for generations to come.

“Walk into the past as you stroll around this magnificent setting, visiting beautiful features such as the Large Parterre, Her Ladyship’s Pleasure Garden and Yew Tree Pond.

“Within the heart of the Gardens is a unique visitor experience, the refurbished Clotworthy House. Visit the Garden Heritage Exhibition where you can read about the history of the Gardens and the story of the Massereene family. It provides a fantastic opportunity to come and learn about garden history how the lives of the key family members intertwine with the development of Antrim town and the surrounding areas.

“The light filled Oriel Gallery plays host to a range of stunning exhibitions throughout the year.

“Be sure to visit and sample the many culinary delights in the Garden Coffee Shop with its delicious treat menu which has something to suit everyone. Your visit won’t be complete without a visit to the Visitor Shop where there is a unique range of goods with a distinct garden focus. With Christmas just around the corner, the shop offers some interesting and quaint gift ideas so why not drop in and pick something up for a friend, a loved one or even to spoil yourself.

“With a year round programme of events and activities including talks, walks, interactive workshops, performances and exhibitions, the Gardens are just waiting to be explored.“

See also https://visitantrimandnewtownabbey.com/things-to-do/gardens-and-parks/antrim-castle-gardens-clotworthy-house/ which tells us that:

“Antrim Castle Gardens is a 17th century Anglo Dutch water garden, one of only three in the British Isles. In a beautiful riverside location close to Antrim town centre they are perfect for a stroll, a coffee or the opportunity to experience a variety of exhibitions, courses and classes.

“Developed around Antrim Castle, built by Sir Hugh Clotworthy and his son, Sir John Clotworthy, between 1610 and 1662, they are a complex living museum containing over four centuries of culture and heritage that tell the stories of the people who created, lived and worked here.“

Mark Bence-Jones writes of Antrim Castle in his  A Guide to Irish Country Houses

“(Skeffington, Massereene and Ferrard, V/PB) A castle by the side of the Sixmilewater, just above where it flows into Lough Neagh, built originally 1613 by the important English settler, Sir Hugh Clotworthy, and enlarged 1662 by his son, 1^st Viscount Massereene [John Clotworthy (1614-1665)]. The castle was rebuilt 1813 as a solid three storey Georgian-Gothic castellated mansion, designed by John Bowden, of Dublin, faced in Roman cement of a pleasant orange colour; the original Carolean doorway of the castle, a tremendous affair of Ionic pilasters, heraldry, festoons and a head of Charles I, being re-erected as the central feature of the entrance front, below a battlemented pediment. Apart from this, and tower-like projections at the corners, with slender round angle turrets and shallow pyramidal roofs, the elevations were plain; the entrance front being of four bays between the projections, and the long adjoining front of 11 bays. Mullioned oriels and a tall octagonal turret of ashlar were added to the long front in 1887, when the castle was further enlarged. Remarkable C17 formal garden, unique in Ulster, its only surviving counterpart being at Killruddery, Co Wicklow. Long canal, bordered with tall hedges, and other canal at right angles to it, making a “T” shape; old trees, dark masses of yew and walls of rose-coloured brick. Mount, with spiral path, originally the motte of a Norman castle. Imposing Jacobean revival outbuildings of course rubble basalt with sandstone dressings; built ca. 1840. Entrance gateway to the demesne with octagonal turrets. Antrim Castle was burnt 1922.” [1]

The 1st Viscount Massereene married Margaret Jones, daughter of Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh. Their daughter Margaret married and her husband gained the title through her, to become John Skeffington, 2nd Viscount Massereene. The 4th Viscount, whose first name was Clotworthy, which became a family name, married Lady Catherine Chichester, eldest daughter of Arthur, 4th Earl of Donegall. Their son Clotworthy became 1st Earl of Massereene.

The 4th Earl died in 1816, and the earldom expired; but the viscountcy of Massereene and barony of Loughneagh devolved upon his only daughter and sole heiress, Harriet Skeffington, 9th Viscountess of Massereene (1789-1843) [2]. She married, in 1810, Thomas Henry Foster, 2nd Viscount Ferrard. It was for Harriet and Thomas that the castle was rebuilt in 1813. Algernon William John Clotworthy Whyte-Melville Skeffington, 12th Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, DSO, was the last of the Skeffingtons to live at Antrim Castle. Lord and Lady Massereene and their family were hosting a grand ball in Antrim Castle when it was burnt by an IRA gang on the 28th October, 1922. Following the fire, Lord Massereene went to live in the nearby dower house, Skeffington Lodge (which subsequently became the Deer Park Hotel, but is no longer a hotel). Further losses of family treasures – this time by sale, not by fire – now followed. 

After the Second World War, Skeffington Lodge was abandoned; the Antrim Castle stable block was converted for use as a family residence, and was re-named Clotworthy House. Clotworthy was acquired by Antrim Borough Council, and was converted for use as an Arts Centre in 1992. 

Timothy William Ferrers tells us that a fine stone bridge, the Deer Park Bridge, spans the river at a shallow point and formed a link between the demesne and the rest of the estate. He continues:
 
“The Anglo-Norman motte adjacent to the house was made into a garden feature, with a yew-lined spiral walk leading to the top, from which views of the grounds, the town of Antrim and the river could (and can still) be enjoyed. 
 
“The castle and the motte were enclosed within a bawn and protected by artillery bastions, which were utilized for gardens from the 18th century. 
 
“The formal canals, linked by a small cascade and lined with clipped lime and hornbeam hedges, are the main attraction. The main gate lodge from the town, the Barbican Gate, was possibly built in 1818 to the designs of John Bowden and has been separated from the site by the intrusion of the road. An underpass now connects the lodge entrance to the grounds.” (see [2])

Also Featured in Irish Country Houses, Portraits and Painters. David Hicks. The Collins Press, Cork, 2014.  

2. Belfast Castle estate , County Antrim

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/belfast-castle-estate-p676051

The website tells us:

“Belfast Castle estate is situated on the lower slopes of Cave Hill Country Park in north Belfast. It contains both parkland and mature mixed woodland and offers superb views of the city from a variety of vantage points. The estate is home to many different species of wildlife, including long-eared owls, sparrowhawks and Belfast’s rarest plant, the town hall clock.

“More information about the estate is available from Cave Hill Visitor Centre, located in Belfast Castle.
You can call the centre directly on 028 9077 6925.
Park features include Cave Hill Adventurous Playground, Cave Hill Visitor Centre, landscaped gardens, a Millennium herb garden, ecotrails and orienteering routes.
We also offer refreshments (in Belfast Castle), scenic views, full car parking facilities and a wide variety of wildlife.“

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses:

“(Chichester, Donegall, M/PB; Ashley-Cooper, Shaftsbury, E/PB) The original Belfast Castle was a tall, square semi-fortified house with many gables, built at the beginning of C17 by the Lord Deputy Sir Arthur Chichester, uncle of the 1^st Earl of Donegall. It stood surrounded by formal gardens and orchards going down to a branch of the River Lagan, and was the seat of the Donegalls until 1708 when it was destroyed by a fire “caused through the carelessness of a female servant,” three of six daughters of 3^rd Earl perishing in the blaze. The castle was not rebuilt and the ruin was subsequently demolished; its site and that of its gardens is now occupied by Castle Place and the adjoining streets, in what is now the centre of the city. For much of C18, the Donegalls lived in England; later, they lived at Ormeau, just outside Belfast to the south-east. 3^rd Marquess of Donegall [George Hamilton Chichester (1797-1883)] found Ormeau inconvenient; and so, towards the end of 1860s, he and his son-in-law and daughter, afterwards 8^th Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, built a large Scottish-Baronial castle at the opposite side of the city, in a fine position on the lower slopes of Cave Hill, overlooking the Lough; it was named Belfast Castle, after Sir Arthur Chichester’s vanished house. The architects of the new Belfast Castle were Sir Charles Lanyon and William Henry Lynn; stylistically, it would seem to be very much Lynn’s work; but it may also perhaps have been influenced by a design by William Burn, having a plan almost exactly similar to those of several of Burns’s Scottish-Baronial castles. Tall square tower, of six storeys, in the manner of Balmoral. Projecting pillared porch in “Jacobethan” style, with strapwork on columns. On the garden front, a fantastic snaking Elizabethan staircase of stone leading down to the terrace from the piano nobile was added 1894. Entrance hall in base of tower; larger hall opening at one end into staircase well with massive oak stair; arcaded first floor gallery. Now well maintained by the City of Belfast as a setting for functions.” [4]

The Castle passed from the 3rd Marquess of Donegall to his daughter Harriet Chichester and her husband Anthony Ashley-Cooper (1831-1886), who became the 8th Earl of Shaftsbury. Their son the 9th Earl of Shaftsbury served as Lord Mayor in 1907 and Chancellor of Queen’s University the following year. The family presented the castle and estate to the City of Belfast in 1934. 

Timothy William Ferres tells us that from the end of the 2nd World War until the 1970s the castle became a popular venue for wedding receptions, dances and afternoon teas. In 1978, Belfast City Council instituted a major refurbishment programme that was to continue over a period of ten years at a cost of over two million pounds.  

The architect this time was the Hewitt and Haslam Partnership. The building was officially re-opened to the public on 11 November 1988. [see 2]

3. Carrickfergus Castle, County Antrim

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/carrickfergus-castle-p674971

The website tells us

“Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough.

“Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland.

“For more than 800 years, Carrickfergus Castle has been an imposing monument on the Northern Ireland landscape whether approached by land, sea or air. The castle now houses historical displays as well as cannons from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

“A visit will give you the opportunity to see how the Great Hall at the top of the Great Tower has been transformed by the new roof which has greatly improved the visitor’s experience.“

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/heritage-sites/carrickfergus-castle

The Department for Communities website has more information about Carrickfergus Castle. It tells us:

“Begun by John de Courcy soon after his 1177 invasion of Ulster. Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland.

“Its long history includes sieges by King John in 1210 and Edward Bruce in 1315, its capture by Schomberg for William III in 1689, and capture by the French under Thurot in 1760. The castle was used by the army until 1928, and in the 1939 to 1945 war it housed air-raid shelters.“

John de Courcy (1177-1204) came to Ireland in the time of King Henry II, and Henry gave him land in Ulster. De Courcy fought the inhabitants of Downpatrick for his land and set up a castle there for himself. King Henry II was so pleased with him he created him Earl of Ulster and Lord of Connacht and in 1185 appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. [see Patrick Weston Joyce, The Wonders of Ireland, 1911, on https://www.libraryireland.com/Wonders/Sir-John-De-Courcy-1.php ]

4. Dunluce Castle (ruin), County Antrim

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/dunluce-castle-medieval-irish-castle-on-the-antrim-coast-p675011

The website tells us:

“With evidence of settlement from the first millennium, the present castle ruins date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries. It was inhabited by both the feuding MacQuillan and MacDonnell clans. Historical and archaeological exhibits are on display for public viewing.

Opening Hours: Please check before visiting as public access may be restricted.“

We visited in June 2023.

The storyboards tell us that Colla MacDonnell was head of the clan and overthrew the MacQuillans, and that when he died in 1558, Dunluce passed to his brother, Sorley Boy MacDonnell. The MacDonnells had more castles up along the coast. Sorley Boy had to spend much time in battle defending his territory. In 1565 he was captured by Shane O’Neill and held hostage for two years.

Sorley Boy married Mary O’Neill, daughter of Conn Baccach O’Neill (1484-1559), 1st Earl of Tyrone. Families intermarried to form alliances.

In 1563, an expedition of the Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, massacred Sorley Boy’s troops on Rathlin Island, across the bay from his castle, when they had fled there for safety.

Dunluce Castle was captured in 1584 by John Perrot, Lord Deputy of Ireland. Sorley Boy’s troops scaled the cliffs to attack and recapture the castle. Sorley Boy surrendered to Queen Elizabeth in order to be rewarded his lands again, under “Surrender and Regrant.” Sorley Boy died in 1589.

The sign boards tell us that after Sorley Boy’s death in 1589 he was succeeded by his third son, James. James died in 1601 and was succeeded by his brother, Randall Arranach MacDonnell (1556-1635). He fought against the English in the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, but later sought to regain favour with the crown and again surrendered and was regranted the lands of “the Route” and the Glens of Antrim, owning 330,000 acres. He was made Viscount Dunluce in 1618 and Earl of Antrim in 1620.

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses:

“(McDonnell, Antrim, E/PB) The ancestral stronghold of the McDonnells, Earls of Antrim, dramatically situated at the end of a rocky promontory jutting out into the sea off the north Antrim coat. The castle, which was built at various periods from C14 to C17, eventually consisted of several round towers and a gatehouse with rather Scottish bartizans, joined by a curtain wall, with domestic buildings inside this enclosure. The latter included a mid-C16 loggia with sandstone columns, and a two storey Elizabethan or Jacobean house, with three large oriels. These two buildings were first of two courtyards into which the castle enclosure was divided; the other and lower yard containing offices and servants’ quarters. There were also buildings on the mainland, erected early C17. In 1639, part of the curtain wall of the castle collapsed into the sea, together with some of the servants’ quarters and a number of servants. After the Civil Wars, the castle was abandoned by the family in favour of Glenarm Castle, it is now a romantic ruin.” [5]

The structure consisted of the gatehouse and a curtain wall, with domestic buildings inside the enclosure. Signage tells us that Sorley Boy MacDonnell built the Scottish style gate house. About forty years later, Randal MacDonnell built a manor house, by 1620, inside the enclosure, of which we can see remnants. It was of two or three storeys and had three large oriel windows.

As Mark Bence-Jones writes: “The castle, which was built at various periods from C14 to C17, eventually consisted of several round towers and a gatehouse with rather Scottish bartizans, joined by a curtain wall, with domestic buildings inside this enclosure. The latter included a mid-C16 loggia with sandstone columns, and a two storey Elizabethan or Jacobean house, with three large oriels. These two buildings were first of two courtyards into which the castle enclosure was divided; the other and lower yard containing offices and servants’ quarters.“

Archaeologists have recently unearthed remains of merchants’ houses and a forge, cobbled streets 11 metres wide, and an array of personal artefacts.

In 1642 Dunluce was burned to the ground. At that time, the next generation, Randal Macdonnell (1610-1682) 1st Marquess of Antrim and 2nd Earl of Antrim inhabited the castle, with his wife Katherine Manners, who was the widow of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.

Before walking across to the Castle, you pass remains of ancilliary buildings.

5. Galgorm Castle – now part of a golf club, County Antrim

https://www.galgormcastle.com/galgorm-estate.html

The website tells us: “Galgorm Castle is an historic estate dating back to Jacobean times but has evolved into one of Northern Ireland’s most vibrant destinations with diverse business, golf and recreational activities housed there. The focal point is the 17th century Jacobean castle dating back to 1607, which has been restored and along with the immaculate walled gardens is part of the Ivory Pavilion wedding and events company. The castle is also a historical reminder of the important role the Galgorm Estate played as part of Northern Ireland’s history. Away from the championship golf course there is plenty of opportunity to try the game for the first time at the Fun Golf Area with a six-hole short course and Himalayas Putting Green. The Galgorm Fairy Trail is another family option which runs out of Arthur’s Cottage at the Fun Golf Area.And if looking for great food and drink, a meal at the Castle Kitchen + Bar at the Galgorm Castle clubhouse is a must. Members and non-members are welcome.”

The website contains a history of the Castle:

“Galgorm Castle is one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in Ireland. In May 1607, King James I granted the Ballymena Estate to Rory Og MacQuillan, a mighty warrior, famous for stating “No Captain of this race ever died in his bed,” (which thankfully means Galgorm Castle has one less ghost.). His Castle overlooks and dominates the 10th green and a network of souterrains at the fifth and eighth greens.

“Sir Faithful Fortescue (b. 1585) was the nephew Arthur Chichester. This name may have come from his habit of being particularly sharp in his dealings as he tricked Rory Og McQuillan out of estates and started to build Galgorm Castle in 1618. He might better have been known as Sir Faithless Fortescue as during the Civil War, in the heat of the battle of Edghhill, he changed sides from the Parliamentarians to the Cavaliers, but forgot to instruct his men to remove the orange sashes of the Parliamentarians so seventeen of them were slain by the Cavaliers as the enemy.

“Always known for turning a quick buck Sir Faithless sold the estate to the infamous Dr Alexander Colville [(c.1597-c.1679. He was a clergyman who became a wealthy landlord so it may have been malicious gossip that led to rumours)] who, as legend has it was an alchemist, reputed to have sold his soul to the devil for gold and knowledge. The stories of the good doctor are well documented and his portrait is not allowed to ever leave the castle or disaster will fall. His footsteps beat out a steady tattoo through the night as he does his rounds. Other nights, a ghostly light flickers around the park as he searches for his treasure, lost for over 300 years.

“The Youngs – rich linen merchants, bought the Estate in 1850 and their cousin Sir Roger Casement lived here for six years while he was at Ballymena Academy.

“The Duke of Wurtenburg made his headquarters at Galgorm following the Battle of the Boyne. The renowned Irish scholar Rose Young was born at Galgorm in 1865.

“During the 1980s, Christopher Brooke and his family inherited Galgorm Castle Estate and began developing his vision to turn Galgorm Castle into the one of Northern Ireland’s premier destinations, securing the Estate’s long-term future.”

6. Glenarm Castle, County Antrim – private, can book a tour

https://glenarmcastle.com

The website tells us that Glenarm Castle is one of few country estates that remains privately owned but open to the public. It is steeped in a wealth of history, culture and heritage and attracts over 100,000 visitors annually from all over the world. 

“Visitors can enjoy enchanted walks through the Walled Garden and Castle Trail, indulge in an amazing lunch in the Tea Room, purchase some local produce or official merchandise, or browse through a wide range of ladies & gents fashions and accessories and a selection of beautiful gifts, souvenirs and crafts in the Byre Shop and Shambles Workshop – with many ranges exclusive to Glenarm Castle.“

“Glenarm Castle is the ancestral home of the McDonnell family, Earls of Antrim. The castle is first and foremost the private family home of Viscount and Viscountess Dunluce and their family but they are delighted to welcome visitors to Glenarm Castle for guided tours on selected dates throughout the year.

“Delve deep into the history of Glenarm Castle brought to life by the family butler and house staff within the walls of the drawing room, the dining room, the ‘Blue Room’ and the Castle’s striking hall. 

“Finish the day with the glorious sight of the historic Walled Garden, which dates back to the 17th century.“

Dates are limited and booking in advance is required.  

The castle was built around 1603 by Randal MacDonnell [1610-1682], afterwards 1^st Earl of Antrim, as a hunting lodge or secondary residence to Dunluce Castle, and became the principal seat of the family after Dunluce Castle was abandoned. The mansion house was rebuilt ca. 1750 as a 3-storey double gable-ended block, joined by curving colonnades to two storey  pavilions with high roofs and cupolas. This would have been during the life of the 5th Earl of Antrim, Alexander MacDonnell (1713-1775).

We learned of the 1st and 2nd Earls of Antrim on our visit to Dunluce Castle in Antrim. When the 2nd Earl died in 1682 his brother Alexander (1615-1699) became 3rd Earl of Antrim. He first married Elizabeth Annesley, daughter of the 1st Earl of Anglesey.

Elizabeth née Annesley died in 1672 and Alexander married Helena Burke. Their son Randal (1680-1721) became the 4th Earl of Antrim.

The 4th Earl married Rachael Skeffington, daughter of Clotworthy, 3rd Viscount Massereene, Co. Antrim, of Antrim Castle. The 4th Earl of Rachael had a son Alexander MacDonnell (1713-1775) who succeeded as 5th Earl of Antrim. It was during his time that the castle was enlarged. He was a Privy Counsellor and Governor of County Antrim.

Ballymagarry, where the Earls lived after Dunluce Castle, burned down in 1750, so in 1756 the 5th Earl of Antrim invited an engineer from Cumbria called Christopher Myers to come to Glenarm to rebuild the ruin. Myers transformed it into a grand Palladian country house with curving colonnades ending in pavilions on either side, one of which contained a banqueting room. The lime trees that now arch over the driveway were planted and gardens were planned in a network of walled enclosures.

Alexander the 5th Earl married Elizabeth Pennefather, daughter of Matthew, MP for Cashel and Comptroller and Accountant-General for Ireland. She died, however, in 1736, and he married Anne Plunkett in 1739.

Anne née Plunkett gave birth to the heir, Randal William (1749-1791), who later became the 6th Earl of Antrim. Anne died when Randall was just six years old, so Alexander married again, this time to Catherine Meredyth, daughter of Thomas of Newtown, County Meath. She had been previously married to James Taylor (1700-1747), son of Thomas 1st Baronet Taylor, of Kells, Co. Meath.

The 6th Earl served as MP for County Antrim as well as High Sheriff for the county. Randall William MacDonnell married Letitia Morres, daughter of Hervey Morres 1st Viscount Mountmorres of Kilkenny. They had no sons.

Randall William was created 1st Viscount Dunluce [Ireland] and 1st Earl of Antrim [Ireland] on 19 June 1785, with special remainder to his daughters in order of seniority. This meant that his daughters became Countesses of Antim in their own right. He then served as Privy Counsellor for Ireland. He was created 1st Marquess of Antrim [Ireland] on 18 August 1789 but this title died with him, along with the two earlier creations of Earl of Antrim and Viscount Dunluce.

His eldest daughter Anne Catherine (1778-1834) became 2nd Countess of Antrim in 1791 when her father died. Anne Catherine’s sister Letitia Mary predeceased her. When Anne Catherine died in 1834 her sister Charlotte became 3rd Countess of Antrim. Charlotte’s sons became the 4th and 5th Earls of Antrim (the Countesses being in lieu of the 2nd and 3rd Earls). The descendants still live in the castle.

See also the blog of Timothy William Ferres. [see 2]

Anne Catherine married first Henry Vane-Tempest (1771-1813) 2nd Baronet Vane, of Long Newton, Co. Durham. They had a daughter, Frances Anne Emily Vane-Tempest, who married Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. Harry Vane-Tempest decided to ‘Gothicise’ the building. The colonnades and pavilions were demolished and Gothic windows installed. When he died, Anne Catherine married Edmund Phelps, who assumed the name of MacDonnell.

Anne Catherine and Edmund hired William Vitruvius Morrison to enlarge Glenarm.

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his  A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):

p. 135. “(McDonnell, Antrim, E/PB) …The main block had a pedimented breakfront with three windows in the top storey, a Venetian window below and a tripartite doorway below again, flanked on either side by a Venetian window in each of the two lower storeys and a triple window above. The pavilions were of three bays. Ca. 1825, the heiress of the McDonnells, Anne, Countess of Antrim in her own right, and her second husband [Edmund Phelps], who had assumed the surname of McDonnell, commissioned William Vitruvius Morrison to throw a Tudor cloak over Glenarm. He did very much the same as he had done at Borris, Co Carlow and Kilcoleman Abbey, Co Kerry; adding four slender corner turrets to C18 block, crowned with cupolas and gilded vanes; he also gave the house a Tudor-Revival façade with stepped gables, finials, pointed and mullioned windows and heraldic achievements, as well as a suitably Tudor porch. The other fronts were also given pointed windows and the colonnades and pavilions were swept away, a two storey Tudor-Revival service wing being added in their stead.“

Mark Bence-Jones continues:”The interior remained Classical; the hall being divided by an arcade with fluted Corinthian columns; the dining room having a cornice of plasterwork in the keyhole pattern. In 1929, the Castle was more or less gutted by fire; in the subsequent rebuilding, to the designs of Imrie & Angell, of London, the pointed and mullioned windows were replaced with rectangular Georgian sashes. Apart from the octagon bedroom, which keeps its original plasterwork ceiling with doves, the interior now dates from the post-fire rebuilding; some of the rooms have ceilings painted by the present Countess of Antrim [Elizabeth Hannah Sacher]. The service wing was reconstructed after another fire 1967, the architect being Mr Donal Insall. In 1825, at the same time as the castle was made Tudor, the entrance to the demesne from the town of Glenarm was transformed into one of the most romantic pieces of C19 medievalism in Ireland, probably also by Morrison. A tall, embattled gate tower, known as the Barbican, stands at the far end of the bridge across the river, flanked by battlemented walls rising from the river bed.”

The second daughter, Charlotte 3rd Countess of Antrim married Mark Robert Kerr (1776-1840), son of William John Kerr, 5th Marquess of Lothian, Scotland. An information board tells us that as well as being a military man, he had a fondness for art.

Charlotte and Mark had many children. Their sons who inherited the title Earl of Antrim after their mother’s death took the name MacDonnell when they succeeded to the title. The 4th Earl, Hugh Seymour McDonnell (1812-1855) had no son so his brother, Mark (1814-1869), succeeded him as 5th Earl of Antrim.

Mark’s son William Randal McDonnell (1851-1918) succeeded as 6th/11th Earl of Antrim. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of County Antrim. In the information panel in the museum at the castle, he is referred to as the 11th Earl. He married Louisa Jane Grey. She held the office of a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria between 1890 and 1901.

Their son Randal Kerr MacDonnell (1878-1932) became 7th/12th Earl of Antrim in 1918. In 1929 a large fire occurred.

His son Randal John (1911-1977) became 8th Earl (13th) in 1932, and his son in turn, Alexander Randal MacDonnell (1935-2021) the 9th Earl.

Randal John 8th Earl and his wife Angela attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Angela Sykes (1911-1984), wife of the 8th or 13th Earl was an artist and she created the rather bulging statues of planetary gods that adorn the ceiling corners of the front hall. She also designed Mithras slaying the bull over the fireplace. She also created murals in the dining room, drawing room and in her bedroom.

The Castle also hosts a Coach House Museum.

7. Lissanoure Castle, County Antrim – private, wedding venue

https://lissanourecastle.com

George MacCartney, 1st and last Earl Macartney, lived at Lissanoure Castle, and is an ancestor of my husband, Stephen! His mother was a Winder.

The website tells us: “Lissanoure Castle is an award-winning venue situated on a privately owned estate. The beautiful natural landscape provides the perfect backdrop for those all important photos and memories that last a lifetime. The 18th century Coach House and the Castle Barn have been converted into spectacular venues, with a fully licensed bar.“

“Lissanoure Castle is on an island site in the heart of a privately owned estate of Peter and Emily Mackie. It was the original seat of Lord Macartney, the first British Ambassador to China.” Earl Macartney brought his cousin (1st cousin, once removed) Edward Winder with him to China, and Edward kept a diary, which is in the National Library of Ireland’s manuscript room.

The website for Lissanoure tells us: “There has been a settlement at Lissanoure since Celtic times because of its naturally defensive position. In the middle of the lake there is a crannóg (an artificial island normally dating from the Iron Age and used for defence).

“The earliest record of a castle situated at Lissanoure dates from 1300. There is some confusion about who built it, some records naming Sir Philip Savage and other records showing Richard Óg de Burgh, second Earl of Ulster (also known as The Red Earl).

“The estate passed to the O’Hara family of Crebilly in the early part of the fourteenth century. There are maps dated 1610 and published by John Speede, showing the castle (called Castle Balan) sited on the north shore of the lake.

“The estate was sold in 1733 to George Macartney, a member of the Irish Parliament, for over fifty-four years. 

“It passed in due course to his only grandson, George (born 1737) later Envoy Extraordinary to Catherine the Great, Chief Secretary for Ireland, President of Fort St. George, Madras, Ambassador to China, Govenor of the Cape of Good Hope, Earl in the Irish Peerage and Baron in the British Peerage.

“The estate remained with the Macartney family until the beginning of the last century when it was acquired by the Mackie family.

“Today, it is still a traditional family estate with farming and forestry and it is owned and managed by Peter and Emily Mackie. They have continued the restoration work, started by his parents, of the castle and the gardens.“

Earl Macartney did not have children. The website tells us that The Lissanoure and Dervock estates were left to Macartney’s wife who had a life-interest. The heir was his sister’s daughter, Elizabeth Belaguier, who married the Rev. Dr Travers Hume, a Church of Ireland clergyman. However she never inherited the estates as she died before the Countess of Macartney, so Elizabeth’s eldest son, George Hume, inherited the Lissanoure and Dervock estates, with one of the conditions being that he assumed the surname Macartney.

George Hume Macartney had expressed dissatisfaction with the existing castle as it was often in need of repair, for it suffered from damp, and the family had to move out for periods. He decided to rebuild much of it whilst, at the same time rebuilding an “elegant cottage in the later English style” near the edge of the lake. He changed the Gothic mansion to a Georgian styled mansion extending the living quarters for the house into where the stables and coach houses were in the court yard. He then built on a semi-circular yard of grand dimensions for the stables and coach houses with an impressive Tudor revival archway and clock tower entrance.

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):

“Following Lord Macartney’s death in 1806, Lissanoure was inherited by his great-nephew, George Hume, who assumed the surname of Macartney; and who began rebuilding the house from 1829 onwards, pulling down the old castle, which stood at one corner of it; putting up  a Tudor archway leading into the courtyard, surmounted by an octagonal battlemented belfry and spire, very much in the manner of William Vitruvius Morrison. 
 
“Not until 1847 did he tackle the front of the house, having in the meantime built himself ”an elegant cottage in the later English style, richly embellished” by the side of the lake. In that same year, after the front wall has been taken down, with a view to rebuilding it, there was an explosion which killed Mrs Macartney and presumably also damaged the structure of the house; for all work on it ceased and it was allowed to fall into ruin. The “elegant cottage” continued to serve as the family residence and it was later rebuilt in a more rustic style, with dormer gables and elaborate bargeboards; and an office wing a the back almost twice as large as the house itself.” [6]

The website tells us that George Hume Macartney died and the Lissanoure and Dervock estates were inherited in 1869 by his eldest son, George Travers Macartney, a former Captain in the 15th King’s Hussars. “He was well regarded by all his tenants and workers, so it came as a tremendous shock when he died of a sudden heart attack on the 29th August 1874 attack aged 44 leaving a wife and four small children. The people of Dervock erected a fountain to him beside the bridge in the centre of the village in his memory and many tributes were paid to him.

“Carthanach George Macartney, aged 5 years, inherited the estates. He was officially landlord of Lissanoure and Dervock for a total of 62 years, a record among Irish gentry.

His mother and cousins took charge in the early years but when Carthanach came to power he proved himself kind and generous.

“He saw the break-up of the estate under the Land Acts,which started in 1881, under which his tenantry eventually became owner-occupiers and he was left only with the lands immediately around his home, which he farmed. In 1936 his son George Travers Lucy Macartney aged 40 years became his successor... In 1943 The Mackie family of James Mackie & Sons of Belfast, once the world’s largest producers of textile machinery and major contributors to the war effort with the production of Bofors gun shells and the fuselage for Stirling bombers, buy the estate from the Macartney family.”

8. Malone House, Belfast, County Antrim – wedding and conference venue

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/malone-house-p674831

The discover Northern Ireland website tells us:

“Malone House, located in Barnett Demesne in south Belfast, is an late Georgian mansion which dates from the 1820s.

T”oday, it is a popular venue for conferences, functions and weddings and is licensed to hold marriage and civil partnership ceremonies, subject to the availability of a Registrar.“

It offers a wide range of facilities, including:
• Function rooms
• Conference rooms
• Malone Room for coffee, lunches and afternoon teas
• Higgin Gallery

https://www.malonehouse.co.uk

The website tells us:

“Located on the site of a 17th century fort, Malone House was built in the 1820s for William Wallace Legge, a rich Belfast merchant who had inherited the surrounding land. A keen landscaper, he designed and planted most of the estate’s grounds, which remain relatively unchanged today. 

“When Legge died, ownership of Malone House passed to the Harberton family, who lived on the premises from 1868 to 1920. The building’s last owner was William Barnett, who presented Malone House to the city of Belfast in 1946.

“Following its presentation to the city, Malone House was leased to the National Trust in the early 1970s. After it was nearly destroyed by a fire in 1976, the building was repaired by the council and reopened in June 1983. 

“Since then, it has become a major venue for weddings, conferences, social functions and other events, while the surrounding grounds are popular with walkers and cyclists.”

9. Wilmont House (park only), Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Rose Gardens.

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/sir-thomas-and-lady-dixon-park-p674891

The website for the park tells us

“The beautiful Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park comprises rolling meadows, woodland, riverside fields and formal gardens. The City of Belfast International Rose Garden has made the park world famous, and contains over 20,000 blooms in the summer, divided into trial and display beds, an historical section, and a heritage garden that displays the best of the roses from local breeders. Each season thousands of visitors enjoy the rose gardens and associated events during Rose Week. 

“Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park also contains International Camellia Trials, a walled garden, a Japanese-style garden with water features for quiet contemplation, a very popular childrens’ playground, an orienteering course and many walks.”

Mark Bence-Jones describes Wilmont House: p. 285. “(Reade/LGI1958) A plain two storey Victorian house, built 1859. Three bay front, with balustraded porch; lower wing, ending with wing as high as main block. Adjoining front with central curved bown and one bay on either side. Camber-headed windows in upper storey of main block. Eaved roof on bracket cornice.” 

Timothy William Ferres tells us:

“The original house, which stood on the site of the present-day barbecue area, dated back to 1740 and was replaced by the present red-bricked house in 1859. 

“This house was designed by Thomas Jackson (1807-90), one of Belfast`s most notable Victorian architects.

“Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon purchased Wilmont demesne in 1919. 

“Sir Thomas died at Harrowgate in 1950. Lady Dixon, who was appointed DBE after the 1st World War in recognition of her service to HM Forces, died in 1964. A year before her death, in 1963, Wilmont demesne was officially handed over to Belfast Corporation. The house, according to her wishes, was shortly afterwards opened as a home for the elderly; while the grounds, at her behest, were opened to the public. 
 
“The present park, named after its benefactors, consists of 134 acres and has been the venue for the City of Belfast International Rose Trials since 1964.” (see [2])

Places to stay. Count Antrim: 

1. Ballygally Castle, Larne, County Antrim €

https://www.hastingshotels.com/ballygally-castle/?gclid=CjwKCAjwybyJBhBwEiwAvz4G7w8_p7MWKXCL6Vrjer6k5D4AaaJg8CVSfc31wnqzX2CTqPmXQcBoLBoCez8QAvD_BwE

The website tells us:

“Ballygally Castle, affectionately dubbed “the jewel in the Hastings Crown”, was purchased by the Hastings Hotels Group in 1966 and over the years various extensions and renovations have transformed it to the charming hotel it is today. It received official four star status from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in 2007 and in 2014 the hotel underwent a further major refurbishment and extension project, with the addition of ten new Coastal Deluxe bedrooms, a new larger Reception area and the stunning new Kintyre Ballroom. All developments at the Castle have been very carefully undertaken so as not to distract from the history of the original building, as the hotel’s distinctive character comes from the fact that it dates back to 1625. The Ballygally Castle is unique in that it is the only 17th Century building in Northern Ireland still being used as a residence today!“

“Built in 1625 by James Shaw and his wife Isabella Brisbane. Shaw, a native of Greenock, Scotland, came to Ireland in 1606 to seek his fortune. In 1613, he received a sub-grant of land from the Earl of Antrim. It was on this land that the castle was built. [James Shaw, a Scot, built the castle in Scottish style with a steep roof, high walls, corner turrets and dormer windows. Its walls are five feet thick and studded with ‘loopholes’, narrow vertical slits through which muskets could be fired.]

“The castle came under attack during the 1641 rising, when the Gaelic Irish rose against the English and Scots settlers. Although a nearby Irish garrison controlled the countryside around and tried to force their way in, the inhabitants held out.

“They did not all survive. John Jamieson sent his two sons and daughter out to fetch corn. One son was hung by rebels and his daughter taken prisoner.“

“In 1680 the castle was actually captured by the ‘Tories’ of Londonderry – dispossessed Irish chieftains who had lost everything following the 1641 rising. However, with a bounty on their heads, they did not stay long and soon returned to the then plentiful woods.“

“The original castle served as a place of refuge for the Protestants during the Civil Wars. During that time, it was handed down from fathers to sons and in 1799 it was passed to William Shaw, the last squire of Ballygally. In the early 1800s the Shaw family lost their wealth and the estate was sold to the Agnew family for £15,400.

“For several years it was used as a coastguard station, before the Reverend Classon Porter and his family took residence. It was then taken over by the Moore family. They then sold it to textile millionaire Mr. Cyril Lord in the early 1950s, who refurbished it as a hotel.

“After centuries of private ownership, Ballygally Castle was turned into the elegant Candlelight Inn in the 1950s by ‘Carpet King’ Cyril Lord, who became famous from the TV ads for his carpet company. Its candelabra brand was designed around distinctive light fittings, some of which can still be seen in the 1625 Room.

“Sir Billy Hastings bought Ballygally Castle in 1966. Beautifully refurbished, the hotel has preserved the castle’s unique character and many of its features.“

I was happy to see that the tower house still has its winding staircase and there are rooms which one cay stay in. We climbed the stairs to the top to a room left for visitors to view decorated as it may have looked in the past.

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):

p. 22. “A unique example of a C17 Plantation Castle surviving intact, inhabited and unchanged, except from the insertion of sash windows. Built 1625 by James Shaw. With its high roof, its two pepperpot bartizans, and its two curvilinear dormer-gables, which do not quite match, it looks for all the world like a little C16 or early C17 tower-house in Scotland. In 1814, the residence of Rev. Thomas Alexander. Now an hotel.”

See also the blog of Timothy William Ferres. [see 2] http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/2014/10/ballygally-castle.html

The gardens of the hotel are lovely.

2. Ballylough House, County Antrim 

https://ballyloughbnb.co.uk

Mark Bence-Jones writes in A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):

p. 24. “(Traill/IFR) A C18 house originally belonging to Archibald Stewart of Ballintoy; bought by the Traill family 1789, two storey over basement; three bay front. The front was subsequently given Wyatt windows; battlemented segmental flanking walls with niches were built 1815; and a wing was added, also in early C19. At some other date, the Tuscan doorcase was moved from the centre to the front to the righ-hand bay, thereby spoiling the symmetry. Plasterwork in hall which may be contemporary with the original building of the house; plasterwork festoons, flowers and foliage elsewhere, probably later.”

See also the blog of Timothy William Ferres. [see 2]

3. Drum Gate Lodge, Ballylough House, Bushmills, County Antrim €€

https://www.irishlandmark.com/propertytag/cottages-and-houses/?gclid=Cj0KCQiApL2QBhC8ARIsAGMm-KFInICcRSxwLSiDxfFNk5WFytNcVrLvOQYhzJbIBes4V-M65iXz0gYaAln_EALw_wcB

The blog of Timothy William Ferres tells us that there are two gate lodges to Ballylough House: the unusual circular West Lodge of ca 1800, now known as The Drum; and the East Lodge of ca 1840, which is still occupied and has its own charming cottage garden. The West Lodge, now known as The Drum, was built at the end of a long avenue of beech trees at the western edge of the Ballylough Estate in 1800 by Archdeacon Traill, two years after he bought the estate. [see 2]

5. Blackhead Cutter Lighthouse keeper’s house, Whitehead, County Antrim €€ for two, € for 4/5

https://www.irishlandmark.com/property/blackhead-cutter/

3 houses: https://www.irishlandmark.com/properties/

“Blackhead Lightkeepers’ Houses are ideally situated on the North Shore of Belfast Lough. This is one of three houses on the Lightkeepers’ station at Blackhead. The panoramic views from this property are stunning and fill visitors with pure delight and admiration.

“The House is a proud example of Ireland’s rich maritime heritage. If you are lucky enough to stay during a storm you will have an opportunity to experience the elements at their wildest. The House oozes character and charm and makes for an ideal location for a really special break.“

6. Culloden Estate and Spa, Bangor Road, Holywood, Belfast, BT18 0EX €€€ https://www.cullodenestateandspa.com

The website tells us Colloden was originally built as an official palace for the Bishops of Down. The Culloden Estate and Spa stands in twelve acres of secluded gardens and woodland.

7. Dunadry Hotel, County Antrim €€

https://www.dunadry.com

“Located at the heart of County Antrim, our location is easily accessed from anywhere in Northern Ireland, and further afield with Belfast International Airport only a short 10-minute drive away.

“If the walls within our iconic venue could speak, they will tell many stories of times gone by, dating back to the 1600’s when it housed the High Kings of Ireland, to its days as a Paper Mill and a Linen Mill before it took form as a hotel.

“It’s time for you to experience the history that flows through this iconic venue, rich with traditional features still on show, complimented now by its modern and contemporary décor.“

8. Barbican, Glenarm Castle, County Antrim – €€ see also Glenarm Castle, above

https://www.irishlandmark.com/property/the-barbican/

Timothy William Ferres tells us: “The Barbican gate lodge is built into the estate wall at the end of an old stone bridge spanning the river Glenarm. It was commissioned in 1823 by Edmund Phelps, the second husband of Anne Catherine, Countess of Antrim suo jure, who inherited the estate when her father, the 6th Earl, died without male issue. 
 
“The architect William Vitruvius Morrison built it using local, coursed, rubble basalt and red ashlar sandstone dressings. This gate lodge has a narrow turret staircase which leads onto a roof terrace overlooking the surrounding countryside.” [see 2]

9. Kilmore House, County Antrim

https://kilmorecountryhouse.com

Timothy William Ferres tells us:

“KILMORE HOUSE, Glenariff, County Antrim, comprises a large two-and-a-half-storey Edwardian block with earlier Georgian wings to its southern elevation. The house was constructed in stages, and parts of the building may date from as early as the 18th century. The current façade of the house, however, was built in 1907-8. 

“The first recorded occupant of the site was Coll McDonnell, a gentleman who leased 10 acres of land in Kilmore from his kinsman, Lord Antrim, and established a dwelling there in 1706. The site passed to Coll’s son Alexander in 1742; and then to his grandson, John, in 1803 before being occupied by his great-grandson Randal in 1815. 
 
“The McDonnells initially resided in an early-Georgian house which had been constructed in the townland ca 1706. 
 
“The two-storey, four-bay farmhouse (at the south side of the two-and-a-half-storey Edwardian block) had been constructed by 1832. 
 
“A thatched building (which predated the rest of the farmhouse) was presumably the McDonnell family’s previous dwelling on the site, however it cannot be confirmed with certainty whether any trace of this structure survives at the site. 
 
“The farmhouse at Kilmore was originally known as Ballinlig. 
 
“By the mid-19th century Ballinlig had passed to Randal McDonnell’s eldest son Alexander; following whose decease, in 1862, Ballinlig was occupied by his younger brother, Colonel John McDonnell, who remained at the site until his own death in 1905. 
 
“McDonnell’s residence became known as “Kilmore House” by at least the turn of the 20th century. Following the death of Colonel McDonnell in 1905, Kilmore House passed to his nephew, Captain William Alexander Silvertop. 
 
“The Silvertop family extended the house in 1907-8. The Edwardian extension was designed by Nicholas Fitzsimmons (1869-c1940), a Belfast-based architect who entered into partnership with Robert Graeme Watt and Frederick Tulloch in 1909. Fitzsimons’s original plans show that the extension consisted of the two-and-a-half-storey Edwardian block to the north side of the Georgian farmhouse. 
 
“The plans of Kilmore House record that the interior floor-plan of the original farmhouse was altered to incorporate the kitchen, dining-room, a study and private chapel; whilst the new block consisted of a drawing-room and billiards-room (at ground floor), bedrooms and bathrooms (at first floor) and servants quarters (in the attic storey). 
 
“Captain Silvertop served in France during the 1st World War, but following his death, in 1917, the house was sold and passed out of the McDonnell family. Kilmore House had lain vacant from 1910 until 1919, when it was purchased by Joseph Maguire, a senator in the Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont. 
 
“The De La Salle Order purchased Kilmore in 1958, when it was occupied by the Most Rev Dr  D Mageean, RC Bishop of Down and Connor (1882-1962).The Bishop resided at Kilmore House until ca 1960, when the building was converted into a holiday home for visitors to the North Coast, administered by the Trustees of Kilmore Holiday House.“

“Kilmore House was listed in 1980 and is now a country house hotel. Today the house is set in thirteen acres. It has fourteen bedrooms. A stained-glass window at the landing still has the McDonnell and Silvertop armorial bearings.” (see [2])

10. Kiln Wing, Old Corn Mill, Bushmills, County Antrim €€

https://www.irishlandmark.com/property/kiln-wing-old-corn-mill/

“The Kiln Wing is a wonderfully restored 19th Century corn mill, full of character and charm and located right in the town of Bushmills.

“It has great views of the River Bush and is a stone’s throw from wonderful attractions like the Giants Causeway, Toor Head and Dunseverick Castle. Best of all, you get the chance to sleep with your head over a flowing river, allowing it to take your stress with it as it rushes out to sea.“

11. Larchfield Estate, Lisburn, Co Antrim, BT27 6XJ, Northern Ireland € https://www.larchfieldestate.co.uk/staying-over

The website tells us that Larchfield extends to 600 acres and includes peaceful forest and woodland alongside picturesque river banks. Steeped in history, Larchfield’s heritage dates back to the 1600’s with many remarkable ups and downs throughout its 350-year history.

“Larchfield’s story starts back in 1660 when the land (at that time, about 1500 acres) was bought from the O’Neills. It wasn’t until 1750 that the original part of the current house was built on the site of an old farm house. It was built by the Mussendens, who were merchants bankers in Belfast. We have an interesting connection with Mussenden Temple in County Londonderry which was built by the Earl Bishop (a cousin) in memory of Mrs. Mussenden from Larchfield who died at the age of 22, sadly before Mussenden Temple was finished.

“In 1845, the house was redesigned by Charles Lanyon, one of Belfast’s most prominent and influential architects of the Victoria Era and famous for designing Queens University and the Custom House in Belfast among many others. We know that Lanyon changed the front of the house to face south, with new driveways.

“Then in 1868/9, William Mussenden sold the house to Ogilvie B Graham, 1st of a family of hereditary directors of the York Street Flax Spinning Company. The valuation of the house was about £100 at the time and as well as adding an extra storey to the main house, Graham added the gate lodge.

“In 1873 the Victorian wing of the house was added, followed by the Fish Pond Lake in 1896. Our Fish Pond Lake, accessed exclusively by only the bride and groom when we host a wedding, is referenced both in maps from 1896 and also in Gerard Brennan’s book, A Life of One’s Own. In this book he also refers to Larchfield as the pink house. Gerard Brennan was the grandson of the Ogilvie Grahams.

“Moving to more recent times, in 1968, Mr. Leslie Mackie, father of current owner Gavin Mackie, bought the estate at auction from Col Ogilvy Graham (approx. 300 acres). Some of the best parkland trees had to be bought back from a timber merchant as they had been sold prior to auction!

“The current owners (Gavin and Sarah Mackie) were married themselves at Larchfield in 2007, and moved back to take on the estate from Gavin’s parents. The estate was opened up for weddings and events around this time and in 2010, as part of its renovation, the Stables was re-built and re-roofed for hire for ceremonies and smaller functions downstairs.

“In 2012, Rose Cottage was the first of the onsite accommodation to be restored, leading to the development of accommodation for up to 37 guests. Late 2019 saw the completion of the redevelopment of an 1800s railway style building facing the Larchfield Estate cottages. Harkening back to its history as a piggery, The Old Piggery was officially launched in 2020 as a new offering for experiences, dining, special celebrations and corporate retreats. This project was kindly supported by the Rural Development Programme.“

12. Lissanoure Estate cottages: see above, and

https://lissanourecastle.com/the-estate/

All currently let.

13. Londonderry Arms Hotel, Carnlough, County Antrim

https://londonderryarmshotel.com/

The website tells us:

“The Londonderry Arms Hotel is a historic hotel situated in the picturesque Glens of Antrim in the small coastal village of Carnlough on the award winning Antrim Coast Road which forms a core part of the Causeway Coastal Route.

“Built in 1847 and once owned by Sir Winston Churchill, the hotel has been in the O’Neill family ownership for more than 70 years.

“The Londonderry Arms Hotel is a haven for local friends and guests and visitors from afar. Featuring in several films and books, it has a sense of old world charm which appeals to all.“

It was built in 1848 by Frances Anne Vane Tempest, Lady Londonderry, who had married Charles William Stewart 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. She had it built as a coaching house for visitors travelling to her house Garron Tower (now St. Killian’s College). The fine Georgian architecture has been retained and the hotel has been in the ownership of the O’Neill family for over 76 years. It is a warm welcoming place and filled with nostalgia for all the events and families and visitors it has hosted throughout the years.

Frances Anne’s daughter, also named Frances Anne (1822-1899) married John Winston Spencer Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. They had a son, Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill (1849-1895), who married Jenny Jerome from the United States. Her sister Leonie married John Leslie, 2nd Baronet, of Castle Leslie in County Monaghan. Winston Churchill was Jenny’s son.

14. Magherintemple Gate Lodge, Ballycastle, County Antrim €€ for 2; € for 3/4

https://www.irishlandmark.com/propertytag/cottages-and-houses/?gclid=Cj0KCQiApL2QBhC8ARIsAGMm-KFInICcRSxwLSiDxfFNk5WFytNcVrLvOQYhzJbIBes4V-M65iXz0gYaAln_EALw_wcB

Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses:

“(Casement/IFR) A house of ca. 1875, in Scottish baronial style. The seat of the Casement family, of which Sir Roger Casement was a cadet.” [7]

Timothy William Ferres adds that an earlier quite modest house called Churchfield was described in 1835 as being a plain two storey dwelling, the property of the Casement family from 1790. 
 
It was considerably enlarged in 1874-75 for John Casement, adding an austere Scottish-baronial block in Ballyvoy stone with gate lodge in matching style. 

15. Merchant Hotel, Belfast €€€

https://www.themerchanthotel.com/our-history

The website tells us:

“The Merchant Hotel has long been admired for its distinctive architectural style, both in its former life as the headquarters of the Ulster Bank and now, in its current incarnation as a five-star luxury hotel.

“This formidable sandstone structure was purpose built as the headquarters of the Ulster Bank. The site was originally acquired in 1836. However, the decision to build was not taken until 1857. Bank Directors Robert Grimshaw and James Heron visited Glasgow and Edinburgh to glean as much information as possible on the best banking buildings. It was their wish that the building should appear elegant, substantial and prosperous.

“The location was deemed suitable as it was in the heart of Belfast’s mercantile and commercial centre. In fact, Waring Street derives its name from a successful local merchant William Waring.

“For the creation of the Ulster Bank headquarters, the directors felt the work should be undertaken by an innovative architect. Over sixty proposals were submitted to the bank’s committee and £100 was offered for the best design. In the end the design of a talented Glaswegian by the name of James Hamilton was selected. The building work was undertaken by Messer’s D and J Fulton, while the spectacularly ornate plasterwork in the main banking hall was carried out by Belfast man George Crowe.

“The exterior of the building is Italianate in style. Sculptures depicting Commerce, Justice and Britannia, look down benignly from the apex of the magnificent façade. Under the grand central dome of the main banking hall (now The Great Room Restaurant), fruit and foliage designs surround the walls in a magnificent frieze. Four Corinthian columns frame the room and feature plump putti (cherub-like figures) depicting science, painting, scripture and music.

“Generosity of proportions and an ornate but not ostentatious style throughout the building has ensured that it is one of the most renowned and best loved buildings in Belfast. When the designs were first shown at the 1858 London Architectural Exhibition, the literary magazine Athenaeum described them as “very commendable, earnest, massive, rich and suitable”. Writing more than a century later, founding member of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society C.E.B. Brett said the building offered “every inducement to linger and ponder on wealth and its advantages”.

“The Ulster Bank headquarters were transformed into the five-star Merchant Hotel in 2006. The original Grade A listed building was then greatly enhanced in the summer of 2010 by the addition of a £16.5 million extension featuring a wealth of new facilities for guests. 

“Thanks to local historian Raymond O’Regan for some of the historical information referenced in this section.“

16. Old Bushmills Barn, 15 Priestlands Road, Antrim €€€ for two; € for four

https://www.theoldbushmillsbarn.com

The website tells us:

“1608

The history of the barn fascinates everyone. Tradition and innovation melts into these stunning grounds. Bushmills is a town with a rich history boasting the oldest distillery in the world, originating in 1608.

1700’s

Bushmills grows and The Old Rectory & its Barns are built.

The 1821 listing’s text changed to: In 1821 for a cost of £1200 (£960,000 in today’s money) the still existing church, Dunluce Parish was built. Four years later in 1825 the Rectory and the Barns were extended, a big step in the history of Bushmills, serving as a home to the church’s ministers for the next 150 years.

1821

In 1821 for a cost of £1200 (£960,000 in today’s money) the still existing church, Dunluce Parish was built. Four years later in 1825 the Rectory and the Barns was erected, starting its journey in the history of Bushmills, serving as a home to the church’s ministers for the next 150 years.

The Reverent James Morewood was the first occupant.

During these periods of ownership, the Barns are used for servants quarters and stables for horses.

1960

In 1960 flooding happened and the house and barns were abandoned and a new modern house was built for the minister at that time and future ministers to come.

1990

Young business owners Robert Mckeag and Louise Mckeag purchase the house from the church and the original restoration of this Georgian Manor begins.

1993

The original restoration of the now Old Rectory is completed. With the Barns now having a tin roof.

2018

The Old Rectory hosts the VIP guests and commentators of the American news channel NBC news for the 148th British Open, Royal Portrush.

2019

After studying International Hospitality and Tourism Management and working at The Gleneagles Hotel, Robert and Louise’s son Jasper dreams up the perfect accommodation for exploring the booming tourism spot – The North Coast of Northern Ireland.”

17. Portbradden Cottage, Bushmills, County Antrim

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/portbraddan-cottage-northern-ireland

Three bedrooms, minimum three night stay.

18. Strand House, Ballymena, County Antrim

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/strand-house-northern-ireland

The website describes it:

“Step through the bold red stable door of this cottage to discover the quirky internal layout. Take in the sea views from the bedroom or head outside to feel the sand between your toes on the wide sandy beach. Families, history enthusiasts and walkers will love the secluded location.

“Sitting in the heart of the Antrim coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you may recognise the dramatic landscape surrounding the cottage from the Game of Thrones series. Inside, the layout downstairs is definitely unusual, but you’ll find a living room with woodburner, separate dining room, bathroom and hallway (not necessarily in that order, but that’s part of the fun). Upstairs there’s three bedrooms; a double, a twin and a single. Make the most of sunny seaside days and nights in the enclosed grassy gardens front and back, where the picnic table provides a great spot for an al-fresco family meal.

“With its secluded setting just north of the village of Cushendun, Strand House is ideal for escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The village (which is now cared for by the National Trust) was built in the Cornish style in 1912 by Baron Cushendun in attempt to please his Cornish-born wife. The sheltered bay is also where you’ll find amenities like the pub, tearoom and shops. Or stay closer to home and relax on the beautiful sandy beach that curves right past the cottage. If you’re a nature lover, there are red squirrels to seek out in the forest at nearby Glenmona House.“

19. Tullymurry House, Banbridge, County Antrim, whole house rental: €€€ for two; € for 3-8

https://www.irishlandmark.com/propertytag/cottages-and-houses/?gclid=Cj0KCQiApL2QBhC8ARIsAGMm-KFInICcRSxwLSiDxfFNk5WFytNcVrLvOQYhzJbIBes4V-M65iXz0gYaAln_EALw_wcB

The website tells us: “This fabulous period home is a historic Irish country farm house. Set on wonderful gardens including an orchard, Tullymurry House is an ideal base for golf, fishing, hiking, walking, beach, and other outdoor pursuits.“

Weddings/whole house rental:

1. Magheramorne, County Antrim

https://magheramorneestate.com/

The website tells us:

“The stunning Magheramorne Estate, conveniently located just 23 miles from Belfast, is one of the most exclusive venues available for private hire in Northern Ireland. From weddings, family parties, corporate meetings and events to occasion meals, this coastal estate offers a variety of unique indoor and outdoor spaces to fulfil your dreams.

“Built as a grand family home around 1880, the house has recently enjoyed sympathetic and elegant restoration in keeping with its Grade B1 listed status.

“The Allen family have made significant investments to ensure the house meets modern expectations while carefully retaining the welcoming warmth of genuine domestic comfort.

“Designed circa 1878 by Samuel P Close, it was built by James Henry for Sir James Hogg [1823-1890; On 8 February 1877 his name was legally changed to James MacNaghten McGarel-Hogg by Royal Licence] to mark his rise to the peerage of Baron Magheramorne in 1880. It replaced Ballylig House, an earlier and more modest residence originally constructed in 1817.

“Magheramorne House was then occupied by the Baron’s family until 1904 when Colonel James McCalmont took up residence.

“The estate changed hands again in 1932 as Major Harold Robinson, (of Robinson and Cleaver’s department store fame), transformed the house and grounds.

“He further extended and developed the impressive gardens by planting many of the 150 different species of woodland trees present at the estate to this day.

“These grounds are today maintained in their impressively manicured state by a skilled full-time gardener.

“Magheramorne House’s architectural and historical significance is reflected in its Grade B1 listed status. While the accommodation has been modernised since its original construction, many notable period features, both internally and externally, have been retained.

“The magnificent gardens extend over 40 acres and are a particular feature of the estate.

“They include formal landscaped gardens and an exceptional array of specimen trees that impressively enhance the naturalistic planting.

“Also tucked away in the private estate are two dramatic glens, a waterfall, ornamental walks, streams, ponds, feature bridges and a wide array of flora, fauna and indigenous wildlife to discover.

“A new chapter in the history of Magheramorne Estate was opened in 2020 following its purchase by the Allen family who are very well respected in the food and hospitality sector.

“They are currently investing all their time and energy into giving Magheramorne Estate a whole new lease of life with a sympathetic restoration and innovative plans for staging future events.“

[1] p. 6. Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[2] http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/search/label/County%20Antrim%20Landowners?updated-max=2020-02-05T07:48:00Z&max-results=20&start=49&by-date=false

[3] https://www.irelandscontentpool.com/en

[4] p. 36, Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988, Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[5] p. 116. Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[6] p. 188, Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[7] p. 198. Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

Text © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com