Historic places to visit
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
Co Armagh
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.