Ardgillan Castle

Ardgillan Castle is a large country house in Balbriggan, County Dublin set in the 200-acre (0.81 km²) Ardgillan Demesne. Featuring castellated embellishments, the building overlooks Barnageera Beach, the Irish Sea and Skerries. The castle consists of two storeys over a basement, which extends under the south lawns. When occupied, the ground and first floors were the living accommodation while the west and east wings were servants quarters and estate offices. The basement was the service floor, the kitchen and stores. The castle has now been restored and the ground floor rooms and kitchens are open to visitors for guided tours. Tea-rooms are located off the main reception area and serving light snacks are open in conjunction with the Castle opening times. Upstairs, the former bedrooms are used for classes and exhibitions including a permanent and unique exhibition of the "Down Survey" colour maps and text. Rooms are also available form small group meetings and workshops. Ardgillan Demesne is a popular local park, with a mix of woodlands and large grass open spaces. The park contains a walled herb garden, rose garden, Victorian conservatory, tea rooms and an ice house. A children's playground was added in 2006. Ardgillan Castle provides guided tours and hosts exhibitions throughout the years. The house was built by the Reverend Robert Taylor in 1738. The house remained in the Taylor family until 1962 when the estate to Heinrich Potts of Westphalia. In 1982 the estate was sold to Fingal County Council, and it is now open to the public. Source: Wikipedia