heritage centres antrim

The first 'Belfast Castle' was built by the Normans in the late 12th century. On the same site a stone and timber castle was erected in 1611. This home of Sir Arthur Chichester, baron of Belfast, was burned down in 1708 leaving only street names (eg Castle Place) to mark this site....

Already settled in the Stone Age. An oval-shaped bank encloses a variety of houses and souterrains, which have only been partially excavated and which are, therefore, not easy to follow on the ground.

The bank at the northern end may have been designed to deflect water coming from springs higher up the slopes which, even today, create drainage problems. One notable house at the southern end has a stone-paved floor, a central hearth and its own souterrains.

Traces of other buil...

Here at Bushmills we invite you to experience for yourself the craft and skills of making an Irish single malt whiskey....

The Larne area has a rich and considerably varied history upon which to draw. Much of this history is to be found in the landscape around, the buildings, cemeteries and old ruins.

There are several thousand photographs, featuring local football teams, choirs, bowling clubs, organisations, local sights now long changed, school classes from the past, and so on. They are valuable not only as a local history archive but also as a social record and are eagerly scanned by visitors to the...

The cottage was first opened to the public on 29th September 1934 when local dignitaries declared "that this humble dwelling may be kept intact and unspoiled by time or circumstance, to bear silent and eloquent witness to the great love that dwelt there and to the affection and reverence that a son of Antrim had for his mother".

It is now preserved by Antrim Borough Council as a heritage site in tribute to Dr. Irvine's achievements. The mud floored stone cottage is sparsely furnished...

This Ulster-American heritage trail across Larne Borough takes you on a journey around the various plaques on the Ulster-American Heritage Trail.

You will visit some of the finest of our local scenery and sites of interest. Links with American presidents and vice presidents, and others who rose to fame across the Atlantic are featured, as are US Army camps in the area used during the Second World War. The trail was established by the Ulster-American Committee, set up by Larne Boroug...

A fine example of our industrial heritage in this preserved coal-fired gasworks which was built in 1855 to light the town's street lamps. An audio visual presentation tells the history of the plant along with an exhibition of machinery and a huge array of gas powered equipment. Wheelchair access....

The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland's premier attraction, has for centuries astounded people from all over the world with the splendid sight of it's 38,000 stone columns, mostly hexagonal, formed millions of years ago by the cooling of molten lava, although legends say that the Causeway was created by the Irish Giant Finn McCool as a crossing to Scotland.

No journey to the Giant's Causeway is complete without a visit to Moyle District Council's Award winning Visitor's Centre. Facili...

The Ulster Historical Foundation provides an ancestral research service for the historic province of Ulster and publishes books on Irish and local history. Visitors are welcome to our heritage centre, familia, or to attend our annual family history conferences....

The Giant's Causeway is a World Heritage Site, famous for the beauty and extent of its extraordinary geological features which can easily be reached and enjoyed....