Portaferry Castle facts for kids

Portaferry Castle, October 2009

Portaferry Castle is a cool old building in Portaferry, County Down, Northern Ireland. It's a small tower house that looks out over the harbour. The Savage family built it way back in the 1500s. Today, Portaferry Castle is a special historic place that the government helps to protect. It's found in an area called Ballyphilip, which is part of the Ards Borough.

History of Portaferry Castle

Who Built Portaferry Castle?

This castle was most likely built in the 1500s. It was put up by a family known as the Savage family. They were important people in the area at that time.

Repairs and Changes Over Time

In 1635, the castle got some important updates. A man named Sir James Montgomery helped to fix it up. He was the brother-in-law of Patrick Savage. Sir James added a new roof and floors to the castle. This made it much more comfortable for his sister to live there.

What Portaferry Castle Looks Like

Castle Shape and Size

Portaferry Castle is a square-shaped building. It has a small turret, which is like a mini tower, sticking out on its south side. The castle is three floors tall, plus it has an attic space at the very top. There isn't a strong stone ceiling (called a vault) inside.

Special Defenses of the Castle

The castle's entrance has some clever defenses. Above the main door, there's a small opening called a machicolation. This allowed defenders to drop things like stones on attackers below. Inside, near the ground floor entrance, there's another defense called a murder-hole. This was a hole in the ceiling where defenders could drop things or pour liquids onto enemies who got inside.

Inside the Castle

To get to the first floor, you would walk up a curved staircase inside the tower. From the first floor, a spiral staircase in the west corner leads all the way up to the roof. Sadly, much of the eastern part of the castle is now in ruins.