Quintin Castle facts for kids
Quintin Castle is an old castle in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is located near a town called Portaferry. This castle is special because it is one of the few Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland that people still live in today.
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Quintin Castle: A Journey Through Time
Who Built Quintin Castle?
The castle was built a very long time ago, in 1184. A powerful person named John de Courcy was the one who built it. After he built it, the Savage family lived there. Their relatives, the Smiths, also lived at Quintin Castle for some time.
New Owners and Big Changes
In the 1600s, Sir James Montgomery bought the castle. His son, William, made many changes to it. He added a walled courtyard and some smaller towers. He also built a large house next to the main tower. A big kitchen was built on the side of the castle facing the sea. They put new roofs on the castle and added new floors. These changes likely happened before 1659.
From Ruin to Restoration
The Montgomery family later sold the castle to George Ross. However, he never lived there himself. Because no one was living in it, the castle slowly became almost a ruin.
In the early 1800s, Elizabeth Calvert inherited the castle. She was a descendant of George Ross. She decided to restore the castle in 1850. During this time, the central part of the castle was made taller. A walkway was built along the top of the walls. A drawing room was opened up to the inner gardens. A dining room was built on the lowest floor of the main tower. Most of the castle grounds were also surrounded by a strong stone wall.
More Families and New Uses
After Elizabeth Calvert, the Burgess family bought the estate. They lived in Quintin Castle from the early 1930s until the 1950s. After them, Skeets Martin, an auctioneer from Belfast, and his wife lived there until the early 1970s.
In 1978, Quintin Castle was opened as a private home for older people. It stayed that way for many years. Later, it was sold to private owners. The castle has been carefully fixed up and improved by builders.
Quintin Castle Today
The castle changed hands again in late 2006. In 2013, Quintin Castle was sold to the Tayto Group. This company is known for making snacks. In 2016, the Tayto Group asked for permission to use the castle as a private place for events. They wanted to use it for weddings, for visiting customers, and for training or meetings.
