Key facts
- Operator
- Department for Communities (Historic Environment Division)
- Condition
- Intact
- Access
- Staffed, ticketed
Pinpoint
Marine Hwy, Carrickfergus BT38 7BG
Telephone 028 9335 1273
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check with the operator before you travel.
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
Carrickfergus is the best-preserved Norman castle in Northern Ireland, still substantially intact and easy to reach by train from Belfast. It's mid conservation works, and reviewers are split on whether the £6 admission is fair given some areas are currently blocked off.
Worth the trip
The scale of what's still standing - full walls, towers, and exhibits, rather than the fragments most Norman castles have left behind.
Before you go
Check what's currently accessible before visiting, since ongoing restoration work has some areas closed - a few reviewers felt short-changed paying full price with sections roped off.
Most visitors praise the castle's good state of preservation, harbour and sea views, and affordable £6 entry, with several highlighting how easy it is to reach and how much history is packed into a small site. One reviewer felt short-changed paying full price while parts of the castle were closed for restoration, and another notes the stairs to the top floor may be difficult for those with mobility issues.
Best-preserved Norman castle in NI; open during conservation works
“Partially ruined Castle but also had exhibits to see. Some of it was currently closed due to restoration works. Nice views from the castle walls. Reasonable admission fee. Plenty of parking.”— Vito Serafino, visitor review
Further reading
Gibsons - Castle Cutaway (1000pc)
Detailed cutaway illustration of a medieval castle's rooms, dungeon to battlements.
Find it on Amazon
