Ballygally Castle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ballygally Castle

General information
Type	Castle
Location	Ballygally, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°53′56″N 5°51′40″W / 54.89889°N 5.86111°W / 54.89889; -5.86111
Completed	1625
Design and construction
Architect	James Shaw

Ballygally Castle is an amazing old castle in the village of Ballygally, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It's about 3 miles (5 km) north of a town called Larne. This castle sits right by the sea, looking out over Ballygally Bay. Today, it's a hotel, and it's special because it's the only building from the 1600s in Northern Ireland that's still used as a home. People also say it's one of the most haunted places in all of Ulster!

What Makes Ballygally Castle Special?
- Castle Defenses and Design
The History of Ballygally Castle
- Important Dates and Owners
Ghost Stories at Ballygally Castle
Images for kids
See also

What Makes Ballygally Castle Special?

Ballygally Castle Hotel by the coast road.

Ballygally Castle looks like something from a fairy tale. It's often described as a "living postcard" because of its charming, almost teal color. It has a Scottish style, with cool round towers called tourelles that have pointy roofs on top. The castle was built with very tall walls, a steep roof, and windows that stick out, called dormer windows.

Castle Defenses and Design

The walls of the castle are super thick, about 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide! They even have small openings called loopholes, which were used for muskets (old guns). Back in the day, an open stream flowed through the outer hall. This was a clever design feature to make sure people inside had water if the castle was ever under attack.

The History of Ballygally Castle

Ballygally Castle was built in 1625 by a man named James Shaw. He came from Scotland and rented the land from the Earl of Antrim for £24 a year. That was a lot of money back then!

Important Dates and Owners

Above the main entrance door, you can still see an old inscription in a language called Middle Scots. It says, "Godis Providens is my Inheritans," which means "God's Providence is my Inheritance." This shows how important faith was to the builders.

The castle faced attacks several times during a big rebellion in 1641, but it was never captured. The Shaw family owned the castle for many years until 1799, when William Shaw sold it for £15,400. In the 1950s, a rich carpet businessman named Cyril Lord bought the castle. He made it bigger and fixed it up. Today, the Hastings Hotels Group owns and runs Ballygally Castle as a hotel. The old castle yard (called a bawn) and the walled garden are now protected as important historical sites.

Ghost Stories at Ballygally Castle

Ballygally Castle is famous for its ghost stories! Many people believe it's home to several friendly ghosts.

Lady Isobel Shaw

The most active ghost is said to be Lady Isobel Shaw. She was a resident of the castle a long time ago. People say she likes to knock on doors in the hotel rooms and then disappear. Lady Isobel is believed to have died tragically at the castle.

Madame Nixon and the Ghost Room

Another ghost is Madame Nixon, who lived in the hotel in the 1800s. Guests and staff sometimes hear her walking around in her silk dress. There's even a small room in one of the castle's corner towers that's known as "The Ghost Room." It's not used as a regular hotel room because of all the spooky happenings!

Strange Occurrences

In 2003, the hotel manager, Olga Henry, said she was a skeptic about ghosts. But after working at the castle, she started to believe there was "definitely something in this hotel."

One guest staying in a room below "The Ghost Room" woke up in the middle of the night. He thought his child had touched his back. Then he heard a child laughing and running around the room, but saw nothing! He was so scared he ran to the lobby in his pajamas.
In December 2003, Olga Henry set up a room called the "Dungeon Room" for guests. She arranged the table neatly and locked the room. Later, she checked on it, and the table was a mess! Napkins were unfolded, and glasses with a strange film were arranged in a circle.

People who claim to be able to sense ghosts (called mediums) have stayed at the castle. They often report that they feel more ghosts than there are actual guests staying in the hotel!