![carrickfergus castle. carrickfergus castle.](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6a/1f/87/6a1f874c18112a87556fc04afef4e0a5.jpg)
In 1797 the castle, which had on various occasions been used to house prisoners of war, became a prison and it was heavily defended during the Napoleonic Wars six guns on the east battery remain of the 22 that were used in 1811.įor a century it remained a magazine and armory. Some years later in 1778, a small but significant event in the American War of Independence began at Carrickfergus, when John Paul Jones, in the face of reluctance by his crew to approach too close to the Castle, lured a Royal Navy vessel from its moorings into the North Channel, and won an hour-long battle. From its strategic position on a rocky promontory, the castle commanded Belfast Lough, and the land approaches into the walled town that developed beneath its shadows. It had a number of buildings, including the great hall. Initially de Courcy built the inner ward, a small bailey at the end of the promontory with a high polygonal curtain wall and east gate. The core of the castle was built in 1177 by John de Courcy, after he conquered the east of Ulster and ruled as a petty king until 1204, when he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy.
#Carrickfergus castle. windows#
The fourth storey, a high, brightly lit room with windows in all four walls, a fireplace and single latrine, was the principal chamber. A shaft gave access to a well below and a mural stair led down to the vaulted storage cellar. Its entry chamber, originally one large, poorly lit room with a double latrine and no fireplace, served as the public room. Surrounded by sea, the keep of the castle is a four-storey tower, 90 ft high, with a second-storey entrance.
![carrickfergus castle. carrickfergus castle.](https://vacationidea.com/pix/img25Hy8R/articles/carrickfergus-castle_t5.jpg)
Also open to the public for fun days out, the impressive monument has canons from the 17 th and 19 th centuries on display, while the keep houses historical and other displays. Visitors to the castle can avail of a self-guided tour of the walls or, on occasion, guided tours can be arranged by the Carrickfergus Historical Society. Proudly ranking as one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland, it is a popular destination for tourists worldwide wishing to delve deeper into its historical content.
![carrickfergus castle. carrickfergus castle.](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/carrickfergus-castle-robert-navorol.jpg)
The castle seen over 800 years of military occupation, the castle was besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French and it continued to play a central part in a military role until 1928, today it is maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The striking Norman architecture of Carrickfergus Castle can be found on the shore of Belfast Lough.