Ards Peninsula

Ards Peninsula
Kirkistown Castle, near Cloghy on the Ards Peninsula.
Location of the Ards Peninsula in County Down.
Country	United Kingdom
County	Down

The Ards Peninsula (from the Irish: an Aird) is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland which separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea, on Ireland's northeast coast. A number of towns and villages are located on the peninsula, such as the seaside town of Donaghadee, with the surrounding area known as the Ards district. Newtownards, situated at the northern end of the peninsula, is the largest town in the area, while Portaferry is at the southern end of the Peninsula. It is largely situated in the Borough of Ards.

History

The peninsula was once known as "The Ards", and was conquered by the Normans in the 12th century, with the Norman family Savage building a number of castles, and priories on the peninsula.

The Ards Peninsula was the site of a number of airfields built during World War II: RAF Ballyhalbert and its satellite airfield, RAF Kirkistown. Both are now closed and the Kirkistown site is used as a car and motorcycle racing circuit.

Places of interest

• Scrabo Tower overlooks Newtownards and the northern end of the Ards Peninsula. It is in a country park and was built in 1857 as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry.
• Mount Stewart, an 18th-century house and garden owned by the National Trust near Greyabbey. It was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry.
• Grey Abbey, a ruined Cistercian priory.

Settlements

Towns and villages of the Ards Peninsula include:

• Newtownards
• Portaferry
• Ballyhalbert
• Ballywalter
• Carrowdore
• Cloghy
• Greyabbey
• Kircubbin
• Portavogie

Archaeological sites

• Ballyfounder Rath
• Derry Churches
• Grey Abbey
• Kirkistown Castle
• Portaferry Castle
• White House, Ballyspurge