Castle Upton facts for kids
Castle Upton is a historic building in the village of Templepatrick, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is about 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Belfast. The castle was built around 1610 by the Norton family. They settled here during a time known as the Plantation of Ulster. Soon after, the Upton family bought the castle. They owned it for many centuries. A famous architect named Robert Adam redesigned parts of the castle in the 1780s. This included the stable block, now called 'Adam Yard'. In 1963, Sir Robin Kinahan and Coralie de Burgh bought the castle when it was in poor condition. After a lot of work, the castle was restored. The Adam Yard was turned into homes, and the castle later became a popular place for weddings. Today, the Hughes family owns the property.
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Castle Upton's History
Some stories say that Castle Upton includes parts of an even older building. This older building might have been a priory, a type of religious house, from the 1200s. However, other experts believe that no part of the castle is older than the work done by the Norton family.
Building the First Castle
Sir Robert Norton was an officer who worked for Sir Arthur Chichester, the Governor of Carrickfergus. Sir Robert got land along the Six Mile Water river. He began building the castle in the late 1500s. This first part is now the east wing of the castle. His work was finished by Sir Humphrey Norton in the early 1600s. Like many castles built during the Plantation period, it was surrounded by a strong wall called a bawn.
The Upton Family Takes Over
In 1625, Captain Henry Upton bought the castle. He had served under the Earl of Essex. The castle was then renamed Castle Upton after his family. Henry Upton became a Member of Parliament for Carrickfergus in 1634. Many of his family members also served as Members of Parliament. The Upton family supported the Protestant William III in his war against the Catholic James II.
Famous Architects and New Designs
In 1776, Clotworthy Upton (1721–1785) was given the title of Baron Templetown. He asked a Scottish architect named Robert Adam to redesign Castle Upton. Adam planned to make the castle look more like a traditional castle. Even though Adam never visited Ireland, most of his plans were carried out. This included changes to the roof and adding a new north wing. Adam also designed a special burial place called a mausoleum and a stable block. The stable block was finished in 1789.
Later, John Upton became the 2nd Baron Templetown. He also became Viscount Templetown in 1806. His son, Henry Montagu Upton, 2nd Viscount Templetown (1799–1863), asked another architect, Edward Blore, to update the house in 1837.
Recent History and Restoration
In the first half of the 1900s, the Upton family sold Castle Upton. The changes Robert Adam made to the roof were removed. The Adam wing of the castle also started to fall apart. In 1963, Sir Robin Kinahan, a well-known businessman, bought the partly ruined castle. His wife, the artist Coralie de Burgh, led the effort to restore Castle Upton over many years. Their son, Danny Kinahan, and his wife Anna continued the improvements. They later opened the castle as a place for weddings. In 2016, the Kinahan family put Castle Upton up for sale.
Castle Upton's Architecture
The main street in Templepatrick village has a long wall that belongs to Castle Upton. This wall is from the 1700s. A grand fortified gateway in the middle of the village leads up to the castle.
Inside the Castle
The main part of the house is a tower house. It was once thought to be part of an old religious building. Its walls are very thick, up to five feet! The largest part of the castle was built in 1611 by Sir Robert Norton. It was first known as Castle Norton.
One impressive part of the castle is the rebuilt Adam wing. This wing now has a beautiful ballroom. Inside the ballroom, there is a special fireplace made of Italian marble. The castle owners got this fireplace from Downhill Castle in County Londonderry. The stable block was built to look exactly like the old Fish Market of Leith, near Edinburgh, Scotland, which is no longer there.
The Templetown Mausoleum
The burial place for the Templetown and Upton families is called a mausoleum. The National Trust takes care of it, and visitors can see it. Many of the Templetown viscounts and barons are buried there. Robert Adam designed the mausoleum to look like a triumphal arch. He also added to the main house in 1783. The graveyard around the mausoleum has the graves of other important people, like William Orr, who was part of the United Irishmen's Rebellion.
