belfast castle

The Chichesters (later the Donegalls) lived in England as absentee landlords but came to live at Ormeau at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The 3rd Marquis died in 1884 and 7th Earl of Shaftesbury the following year. Lord Ashley, and his wife Harriet Augusta, thus inherited the Shaftesbury title and the Donegall home.

The Shaftebury family were philanthropists, supporting various charities and hosting garden fetes within the castle grounds. The 9th Earl became 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.
From the end of the 2nd World War until the 1970's 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 architiect this time was the Hewitt and Haslam Partnership. The building was officially re-opened to the public on 11 November 1988.

The cellars of the castle, opened in 1990 have been transformed to allow visitors to step back in time into a Victorian atmosphere of narrow, paved streets, shop fronts, gas light, etc. The area comprises an interesting antique and craft shop- The Cave Hill Shop, the'Castle Tavern 'bar and the 'Castle Kitchen'-a bistro restaurant open seven days a week and offering a variety of menus from morning coffee to full meals. The adjoining Haslam Room is a small, cosy function room available for hire.

The second floor contains the Cave Hill Heritage Centre which highlight various` aspects of the area e.g history, folklore, wildlife, geology, with a range of static moving and interactive displays. This centre is open to visitors to Belfast Castle.
With its fascinating history and associations, its superb setting and views, and well deserved reputation for good food. Belfast Castle is an ideal centre for functions, receptions, conferences, exhibitions, or for that special dining out occasion.

The familiar landmark of Belfast Castle overlooks the city from a prominent site 400 feet above sea level on the slopes of Cave Hill. This magnificent sandstone building, recently restored by Belfast City Council's Parks Department has close associations with the city's history.