NORTHERN IRELAND- Antrim Castle Garden Walkthrough

Antrim Castles Garden
The former seat of the Skeffington family, Viscounts Massereene and Ferrard, Antrim Castle occupied its imposing setting on the banks of the Sixmilewater River since 1610. The family began laying out the gardens in the 17th century. While the castle itself was destroyed by fire in 1922 the principal Anglo-Dutch water features of the gardens, though somewhat neglected, have remained largely intact.

These unique historic gardens, located close to Antrim town centre, recently underwent a major programme of works to restore many of the key features dating back to the late 17th century. The Heritage Lottery Fund’s recognition of Antrim Castle Garden’s historical significance provided the impetus for Antrim Borough Council to undertake what was the biggest garden restoration project seen in Northern Ireland.

Antrim Castle Gardens features a network of formal and informal visitor experiences, building on the existing historic parkland with a number of notable restored, new and ornamental gardens. The site is easily accessible and contains at its core, garden heritage, education and interpretation, and community arts facilities based around Clotworthy House. The gardens retain a strong sense of history, intimacy and of place and at the same time provide for new informative visitor experiences