Places to go > County Down > Castle Ward < Historical homes < Things to do

Historical Homes: Ardress House, N. Ireland The Argory, N. Ireland Bellaghy Bawn, N. Ireland Castle Coole, N. Ireland Castle Ward, N. Ireland Downhill & Mussenden Temple, N. Ire. Erddig Hall, Wales Florence Court, N. Ireland Mount Stewart, N. Ireland Penrhyn Castle, Wales Plas Newydd, Anglesey, Wales Plas Newydd, Llangollen, Wales Springhill, N. Ireland ................................................. _________________________________

County Down attractions: Castle Ward Down Cathedral Down County Museum Dundrum Castle Exploris Aquarium Giant's Ring Grey Abbey Inch Abbey Legananny Dolmen Mount Stewart House & Gardens Nendrum Monastic Site North Down Heritage Centre Ulster Folk & Transport Museum ................................................. _________________________________

Castle Ward Strangford, Co. Down, BT30 7LS, UK. Tel. +44 (0) 28 4488 1204

Castle Ward is a fascinating 18th century mansion that lies in a beautiful location just west of Strangford village in County Down.

The house is situated on top of a hill, with wonderful view of Strangford Lough, and is surrounded by a 750-acre estate. It was built in the 1760's by Lord and Lady Bangor, and is part Gothic, part classical in design. The curious mixture of distinct architectural styles is attributed to the fact that the couple could not agree on taste: the front façade has a Palladian appearance, while the west facing back façade

Castle Ward Gardens, © Northern Ireland Photos

is Gothic styled. The interior decoration is similarly opposed, with classical elegance contrasting dramatically with the fanciful Gothic details of rooms such as the boudoir of Lady Bangor.

The estate and house are now owned by the National Trust, and the grounds contain many attractions, including a 16th century tower house, a Victorian laundry and play centre for children, a sawmill and restored corn mill, and an early 18th century artificial lake overlooked by palms and a small temple. There are lovely walks through formal gardens, parkland and woodland, and along the shores of the lake. The Strangford Lough Wildlife Centre is located on the estate, providing information about the lough's natural environment, and Castle Ward is also the setting in summer for a festival of opera.

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Historical Homes in our Historical Home section:

Ardress House
The Argory
Bellaghy Bawn
Castle Coole
Castle Ward
Downhill Mussenden Temple
Erddig Hall
Florence Court
Mount Stewart
Palace Demesne
Penrhyn Castle
Plas Newydd Anglesey
Plas Newydd Llangollen
Springhill
John Knox House

Other Northern Ireland travel related links:

Northern Ireland hotel
Northern Ireland tour
Northern Ireland cottage
Northern Ireland hostel