Castle Lug – Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland - Atlas Obscura

Castle Lug

This castle once belonged to one of the most prominent families of medieval Carrickfergus.  

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Castle Lug is situated in the Greenisland area of East Antrim, which formed part of the town of Carrickfergus. All that remains of the castle today are the ruins of its watchtower, fireplace, and a standalone wall.

When the castle was fully operational, there were several towers that provided an all-encompassing view of the surrounding area. The narrow windows and crenelated wall walks made the structure difficult to attack. The ruins have stood as they are for the last 150 years since the destruction of most of the watchtower in 1839.

Castle Lug belonged to the Lugge family of Carrickfergus, one of whom once acted as the Burgess of Carrickfergus. The original castle is believed to have been constructed around the mid-16th-century by Thomas Lugge, and later became the property of his grandson John Lugge in 1574. At the time, John owned all of the castles, halls, and other hereditaments around Carrickfergus, which was then known as Cloughnaharty.

There are very few surviving records that detail the life of this medieval fortification and one can only speculate about its former grandiose nature.

Know Before You Go

Castle Lug is situated along the main Dual Carriageway Shore Road (A2) between Carrickfergus and Belfast near Belfast High School. The best way to get there is by car and park along the Shorelands Road, which is a small residential area along Shore Road. From there, walk down to the roundabout and along Shore Road heading towards Belfast until you see the sign for Castle Lug on the right-hand side.

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