Clough Castle
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Downpatrick
What it’s like
Free earthwork castle with a stone keep you can still climb up to, perched on a mound outside the town.
This one's an Anglo Norman motte and bailey, the mound and ditch still clearly there, with a two-storey stone keep on top that's survived remarkably well. Kids get the idea of a castle pretty fast once they're standing on the mound looking down at where the bailey would have been. There's no charge to get in, which makes it an easy add-on to a day in Downpatrick rather than a destination you plan a whole day around.
It's not a big attraction with cafés and gift shops attached, it's a proper earthwork you walk round and climb, and that's the appeal. Older kids who like scrambling up mounds and imagining a siege will get more out of it than a toddler, though the walk up itself is fun at any age. Bring good shoes, since it's grass and earth rather than paved paths.
One thing worth knowing: access is sometimes restricted when works are going on, so it's not guaranteed to be open every time you turn up. Given there's no booking system, you'd only find out once you're there.
Need to know
- Best for
- Best suited to older kids who fancy climbing a mound and playing at sieges
- Free entry, no booking needed
- Access can be restricted during works, so it's a bit of a gamble on the day
- It's an earthwork mound rather than flat paths, so wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy
Plan your visit
Is it free to visit?
Yes, there's no entry charge.
Do we need to book?
No booking, you just turn up.
What is there to actually see?
An earthwork motte and bailey castle with a surviving two-storey stone keep on top. It's a climb up the mound rather than a museum-style visit.
Is it always open?
Not always. Public access is sometimes restricted when works are happening on site.
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