Antrim Castle or Massereene

Antrim Castle, also known as Massereene Castle, was a prominent fortified mansion located in Antrim, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Situated on the banks of the Sixmilewater River, the structure was originally constructed in 1613 by the English settler Sir Hugh Clotworthy. It underwent significant enlargement in 1662 under his son, John Clotworthy, the 1st Viscount Massereene, and was later rebuilt in 1813. The estate eventually passed to the Skeffington family through marriage, remaining a seat of local aristocracy for centuries. Historically, the castle served not only as a private residence but also as a venue for important political gatherings, notably hosting the last Speaker of the Irish House of Commons in 1806.

The site holds a dramatic history marked by conflict and tragedy. In March 1689, during the Williamite War, Jacobite forces raided the castle, looting silver and furniture valued at £3,000, a substantial sum for the era. The building's ultimate demise occurred in 1922 when a fire destroyed the main structure. Although it stood in ruins for several decades, the remains were finally demolished in the 1970s. Today, the original mansion no longer exists, leaving only a raised grassed platform to mark its former footprint.

Despite the loss of the main house, the grounds remain a popular tourist attraction known as Antrim Castle Gardens. Visitors can still view surviving architectural elements, including a gatehouse with twin neo-Tudor towers built around 1818 and a distinctive freestanding Italian stair tower added in 1887. These remnants, along with older connecting walls, offer a glimpse into the estate's grand past while the gardens themselves provide a public space for recreation and historical appreciation on the Randalstown Road.