Carrickfergus Castle

Lore & Background

Carrickfergus Castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177 as his headquarters after he conquered eastern Ulster and ruled as a petty king until 1204, when he was ousted by Hugh de Lacy. 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, including the great hall. From its strategic position on a rocky promontory, originally almost surrounded by sea, the castle commanded Carrickfergus Bay (later known as Belfast Lough) and the land approaches into the walled town that developed beneath its shadow.

The castle appears in official English records in 1210 when King John laid siege to it and took control of what was then Ulster's premier strategic garrison. Following its capture, constables were appointed to command the castle and the surrounding area. In 1217 the new constable, De Serlane, was assigned one hundred pounds to build a new curtain wall. The ribbed vault over the entrance passage, the murder hole and the massive portcullis at either end of the gatehouse were later insertions started by Hugh de Lacey, who died in 1248, and finished by King Henry III around 1250.

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries improvements were made to accommodate artillery, though these did not prevent the castle from being attacked and captured on many occasions. Marshal Schomberg besieged and took the castle in the week-long Siege of Carrickfergus in 1689, and King William III first set foot in Ireland there on 14 June 1690. In 1760 it was surrendered to French invaders under Francois Thurot, who looted the castle and town. In 1778, John Paul Jones lured a Royal Navy vessel from its moorings into the North Channel and won an hour-long battle. The castle was used as a prison in 1797 and heavily defended during the Napoleonic Wars.

Reader's Guide

Carrickfergus Castle is significant as one of the best preserved medieval structures in Northern Ireland, having been garrisoned continuously for about 750 years until 1928. Its strategic position on a rocky promontory originally almost surrounded by sea allowed it to command Belfast Lough and the land approaches, making it a key military asset besieged by Scottish, rebel Irish, English, and French forces. The castle played a role in the Nine Years War, the Williamite War in Ireland, the American War of Independence (via John Paul Jones), and both World Wars, serving as a garrison, ordnance store, and air raid shelter. After 1928, its ownership transferred from the British Army to the new Government of Northern Ireland for preservation as an ancient monument, and many post-Norman and Victorian additions were removed to restore its original Norman appearance. Today it is maintained by the Department for Communities as a historic monument in state care, open to the public with a restored banqueting hall and exhibits on medieval life. The title Baron Carrickfergus was revived in 2011 for Prince William, though it is now only ceremonial with no official connection to the castle.

Did You Know?

• The castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177 as his headquarters after he conquered eastern Ulster.
• Three-quarters of the castle's perimeter was originally surrounded by water, though land reclamation has reduced this to one-third.
• King William III first set foot in Ireland at Carrickfergus Castle on 14 June 1690.
• The castle was garrisoned continuously for about 750 years until 1928.