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  • Historic Environment

    Historic places to visit

    Topics:
    • Historic environment, 
    • Archaeology & Monuments, 
    • Love Heritage NI

    The Department’s Historic Environment Division (HED) maintains a wide range of historic sites across Northern Ireland from large castles to small prehistoric monuments. The first monuments were taken into care by the state in 1869 and there are now circa 187 single, groups or complexes of sites and monuments managed by HED. Known as State Care Monuments, they’re among the most important historic places in Northern Ireland.

     

    List of monuments

    HED State Care Monuments are amongst the best known historic landmarks and tourist destinations in Northern Ireland. Follow the links below to find out more; including location and access information and a brief description of the historic background to each.

    Please note we are currently working on adding the sites online - updating on a regular basis until all are listed.

    Sites open to the public

    Co Antrim

    • Antrim Round Tower
    • Armoy Round Tower
    • Ballylumford Dolmen
    • Bonamargy Friary
    • Carrickfergus Castle
    • Carrickfergus Town Walls
    • Castle Lug
    • Coshkib Rath Pair: The Twin Towers
    • Craigs Dolmen
    • Craigs, The Broad Stone
    • Cranfield Church
    • Dalway's Bawn
    • Dooey's Cairn, Dunloy
    • Duncarbit Standing Stones
    • Dunluce Castle
    • Harryville Motte and Bailey
    • Kinbane Castle
    • Layd Church, Cushendall
    • Lissanduff Earthworks, Portballintrae
    • Lissue Rath
    • Muckamore Priory
    • Olderfleet Castle
    • Ossian's Grave
    • Spring Farm Rath

    Co Armagh

    • Annaghmare Cairn
    • Armagh Friary
    • Ballykeel Dolmen & Cairn, Newry
    • Ballymacdermot Cairn
    • Clonlum North Cairn
    • Clonlum South Cairn
    • Clontygora Cairn
    • Eglish Crosses
    • Haughey's Fort
    • Killevy Churches
    • Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone
    • Lisnamintry Rath
    • Moyry Castle
    • Navan Fort, Armagh
    • North Meridian Markers
    • Slieve Gullion North Cairn
    • Slieve Gullion South Cairn
    • The King's Stables
    • Tynan Village Cross

    Co Down

    • Annadorn Dolmen, Downpatrick
    • Ardtole Church
    • Ballycopeland Windmill
    • Ballynoe 'Stone Circle'
    • Clough Castle
    • Derry Churches, Portaferry
    • Mound of Down
    • Dromore Cross
    • Dromore Motte
    • Drumena Cashel and Souterrain
    • Dundrum Castle
    • Duneight Motte & Bailey
    • Dunnaman Court Tomb
    • Giant's Ring, near Shaws Bridge, Belfast
    • Goward Dolmen
    • Grey Abbey
    • Holywood Motte
    • Inch Abbey, Downpatrick
    • Jordan's Castle
    • Kilclief Castle, Strangford
    • Legananny Dolmen
    • Loughlinisland Churches
    • Maghera Church and Round Tower
    • Mahee Castle
    • Millin Bay Cairn
    • Movilla Abbey
    • Narrow Water Castle
    • Nendrum Ecclesiastical Site
    • Raholp Church
    • Rough Fort
    • Scrabo Hillfort
    • Shandon Park Mound
    • Sketrick Castle
    • St. John's Point Church
    • Strangford Castle
    • Struell Bath Houses and Wells
    • Tullynakill Church

    Co Fermanagh

    • Aghalurcher Church
    • Aghanaglack Dual Court Tomb, Enniskillen
    • Castle Balfour
    • Devenish Ecclesiastical Site
    • Drumskinny Stone Circle, Cairn and Alignment
    • Enniskillen Castle
    • Inishmacsaint Church and Cross
    • Monea Castle
    • Old Castle Archdale
    • Portora Castle, Enniskillen
    • Tully Castle, Derrygonnelly
    • White Island Church & Figures

    Co Londonderry

    • Ballintemple Bullaun Stone
    • Ballybriest Dual Court Tomb
    • Ballygroll Prehistoric Landscape
    • Ballynascreen Church
    • Banagher Church
    • Bellaghy Bawn
    • Boveagh Church
    • Brackfield Bawn
    • Drum Fort, also known as Larry's Fort
    • Dunalis Souterrain
    • Ervey Portal Tomb
    • Gortycavan Mound
    • Inishrush Crannog
    • Knockoneill Court Tomb
    • Mill Loughan Mound
    • Mobuy 'Standing Stone'
    • Mountsandel Fort, Coleraine
    • Mullaboy Standing Stone
    • O'Cahan's Castle
    • Tamnyrankin Court Tomb
    • The Derry Walls
    • Tirnony Dolmen
    • Tullyheran Fort

    Co Tyrone

    • Ardboe Abbey
    • Ardboe Cross
    • Balix Lower Court Tomb: The White Rocks
    • Ballywholan Dual Court Tomb: Carnagat
    • Ballywholan Portal Tomb: Carnfadrig
    • Beaghmore Stone Circles, Cookstown
    • Benburb or Wingfield’s Castle
    • Berrysfort Standing Stone
    • Castle Caulfield
    • Churchtown Portal Tomb: Druid's Altar
    • Churchtown Wedge Tomb: Todd's Den
    • Clogher Hillfort: Rathmore
    • Derryloran Church
    • Donaghmore Cross
    • Errigal Keerogue Cross and Church
    • Glenknock or Cloghogle Portal Tomb: Druid's Altar
    • Grange Standing Stone
    • Harry Avery's Castle, Newtownstewart
    • Killucan Long Cairn: Killucan
    • Killucan Wedge Tomb: Carnanbane
    • Killyliss Rath
    • Knockmany Passage Tomb: Annia's Cove
    • Lisky Court Tomb: Giant's Grave
    • Magheraglass Church
    • Mountjoy Castle
    • Moy Gates and Screen
    • Newtownstewart Castle
    • Reaskmore Penal Altar Site
    • Relignaman Women's Graveyard
    • Tattykeel Standing Stone
    • Tullaghoge Fort, Cookstown

    Sites closed to the public

    Co Antrim

    • Ballywee Early Christian Settlement
    • Carrickfergus Gasworks
    • Drumnadrough Rath

    Co Armagh

    • Castledillon Obelisk
    • Lisbanemore Cashel
    • Lisdoo Cashel

    Co Down

    • Audley's Castle
    • Audleystown Cairn
    • Cowd Castle
    • Drumadonnell Cross
    • Greencastle
    • Grey Point Fort
    • Hillsborough: Richhill Gates
    • Kilfeaghan Portal Tomb
    • Kirkistown Castle
    • Lisnagade Fort
    • Lisnavaragh Fort
    • Newtownards Priory
    • Portaferry Castle
    • Quoile Castle
    • Ringhaddy Castle
    • Ringhaddy Church
    • Scrabo Tower
    • The White House, Ballyspurge
    • Woodgrange Rath and Tower House

    Co Londonderry

    • Church Island, Lough Beg
    • Dungiven Priory
    • Maghera Church
    • Magheramore Rath
    • Magilligan Martello Tower
    • Tirkane Sweat House

    Co Tyrone

    • Carrignahaltora
    • Copney Stone Circles
    • Cregganconroe Court Tomb
    • Creggandevesky Court Tomb
    • Damphcloy Megalithic Structure
    • Drumgormal Bivallate Rath
    • Dungororan Rath
    • Grange Standing Stone Pair
    • Reaskcor Tree-Ring
    • Roughan Castle

    Dog policy at Historic Environment properties

    HED recognises that part of the appeal of many of its sites is the open space experience which they can offer. This can be particularly attractive to dog owners who may otherwise have limited opportunities to exercise their dogs in open spaces. However, HED also recognises that dogs which are not properly controlled can impair the visitor experience. At times some dogs can be dangerous; they can alarm or annoy other site users; damage the fabric of a monument; present a health risk; and that dog faeces, at any of HED’s sites, incur additional clean up costs and spoil a visit.

    • Historic Environment Division (HED) policy statement regarding dogs on State Care Monuments

    Related content

    • A Guide to Metal Detecting, Archaeology and the Law
    • Advice for finders of treasure in Northern Ireland
    • Advice for Monument Owners
    • Archaeology
    • Areas of Significant Archaeological Interest
    • Carrickfergus Castle - Works to the Great Tower Roof
    • European Heritage Open Days
    • Events, talks & exhibitions about local heritage
    • Heritage and Climate Change
    • Heritage at Risk
    • HERoNI Lecture Series
    • Hiring a State Care Monument
    • Historic Environment Advice and Guidance in the Planning Process
    • Historic Environment Division (HED) policy statement regarding dogs on State Care Monuments
    • Historic Environment Division - Who we are and the difference we make
    • Historic Environment Division Policy on the Illumination of State Care Monuments
    • Historic Environment Projects
    • Historic Environment Toolkit
    • Historic Monuments
    • Historic Monuments Council
    • Historic Telephone Kiosks
    • Historic wrecks
    • Industrial Archaeology
    • Marine historic environment
    • Monuments advice and guidance
    • Outdoor ground protection system for historic places
    • Protecting Northern Ireland's archaeology
    • Scheduled Historic Monuments
    • School visits to historic places
    • Sites and Monuments Record
    • Skills Development
    • State Care Monuments
    • The Derry Walls
    • The Listing Process for historic buildings
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