Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±

Hillsborough Castle


The British monarch's official Northern Ireland residence is this rambling, late-Georgian mansion, which was built in 1797 for Wills Hill, the first Marquess of Downshire, and extensively remodelled in the 1830s and '40s. Hour-long guided tours take in the throne room, state drawing room and dining rooms, and the Lady Grey Room where, in 2003, Tony Blair and George W Bush held talks on Iraq. Highlights of the lovely gardens include the lime-tree walk and the restored, 18th-century walled garden.

The car park is accessed from the A1, just south of the turn-off for the village (follow signs). Last admission is one hour before closing.


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Hillsborough Courthouse

0.06 MILES

Dating from 1765, this fine old Georgian market house was used as a courthouse from 1810 until 1986. It now contains a few displays describing the working…

2. Hillsborough Fort

0.11 MILES

Built as an artillery fort by Colonel Hill in 1650 (William of Orange stayed here on his way to the Boyne in 1690), Hillsborough Fort was remodelled as a…

3. St Malachy's Parish Church

0.2 MILES

Overlooking Hillsborough village is St Malachy's, a splendid 18th-century church, with twin towers at the ends of the transepts and a tall spire at the…

4. Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum

3.86 MILES

The history of Lisburn's once prosperous linen industry is celebrated at this interesting museum, inside the 17th-century Market House. The 'Flax to…

5. Hilden Brewery

4.76 MILES

Ireland's oldest independent brewing company, dating from 1981, produces superior brews including caramel-malt Twisted Hop, Buck's Head double IPA, Barney…

6. Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park

6.84 MILES

Rolling meadows, woodland, riverside fields and formal gardens make up this beautiful park, along with a walled garden, a Japanese-style garden, a…

7. Giant's Ring

7.72 MILES

This huge prehistoric earthwork, nearly 200m in diameter, is a circular neolithic ritual complex with a dolmen (known as the Druid's Altar) in the centre…

8. Malone House

8.18 MILES

A late-Georgian mansion on the grounds of former private estate Barnett Demesne, Malone House is now used mainly for weddings and conferences, with art…