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Castle Ward

Northern Ireland

Unique 18th-century mansion, famed for its mixture of architectural styles

Strangford, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 7BA

Family by Castle Ward in Autumn

Important notice

Due to a planned electrical outage in the area on Thursday 18 September, Castle Ward house, tea-room and shop will be closed. The grounds will remain open for walks.

Planning your visit

What's on at Castle Ward! 

Find your next adventure here: discover all the events and activities happening at Castle Ward!

A young child dressed in a fancy dress witch costume for Halloween, holding an orange witches hat in her hand and smiling at another child also dressed in a fancy dress witch costume

The Portrait of Lady Ann Bligh: A Conservation Journey 

The newly-acquired portrait of Lady Ann Bligh—the only known image of her—sheds light on her overlooked role in shaping Castle Ward in the 1760s and enriches the site’s understanding of women’s history. After expert conservation work, the painting is now on display, reuniting the house with one of its most significant yet marginalised figures.

Last updated:
28 May 2025

Visiting Castle Ward with Family 

From events and activities to inspiring your inner explorer, here's what you need to know about a family day out at Castle Ward.

Family in Autumn at Castle Ward

Multi-use trails at Castle Ward 

Whether you’re walking, in a wheelchair, cycling or horse riding, explore the 21 miles of trails on the Castle Ward estate and discover woodland, meadows and loughside views.

Family Walking with bikes

Visiting Castle Ward with your dog 

Castle Ward is a three pawprint rated place. Discover Castle Ward with your dog. With miles of trails to explore there's plenty of space for them to bound, sniff, jump and splash.

Family walking with a pushchair and dogs with the shore behind and blue skies above

Christmas at Castle Ward 

This festive season, we invited you to enjoy our wonderful market and step inside Castle Ward and experience the mansion dressed in tableau for an evocative 18th-century Christmas.

Father and Daughter at Castle Ward's Georgian Christmastide

Group visits to Castle Ward 

Find out how to book a group visit to Castle Ward and learn about the guided tours and additional benefits available when visiting this unique 18th-century mansion as a group.

Staff and visitors looking at exhibits inside the house at Castle Ward, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Exploring the estate at Castle Ward 

Explore miles of trails, soak up coastal views and stroll through atmospheric woodland scenes. Tune into the seasons and see where Game of Thrones was filmed.

Castle Ward Farmyard in autumn
Two visitors in raincoats exploring the autumnal garden at Hinton Ampner, Hampshire

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