Holywood Motte

A Victorian spiral path has been cut into the side of the mound, and it appears that some of the north side has been scarped. A set of modern concrete steps has also been added to the south side which has fundamentally altered the appearance of the site. The green gated entrance can be locked, and it is best to try and visit it during the day. Once there, it is a nice place to sit in peace for a while, but there are far more splendid mottes (e.g., Dundonald) that survive to a greater height. It's a nice visit for 10 - 15 minutes, but don't go out of your way. The southern (entrance) side has a much raised ground level - go round to the back (northern) side and you can see how much more impressive the monument might have been. There are possible remnants of the surrounding ditch (now much silted up). The earliest historical reference for the Holywood is from the Calendar of Documents Relating To Ireland 1171 1307, which state that King John stopped in Holywood during his campaign of 1210 (Sweetman, 1875, 113). It is reasonable to suggest that he would have visited the motte and its fortification. Holywood Motte is a roughly oval earthwork measuring 30m north-east to south-west and 25m north-west to south-east. The height of the earthwork varies from 3.5m on the south-east side to 5m towards the north-west side corresponding to the natural topography. The mound summit is flat and measures c.12m in diameter.
Dec 1st, 2022

Visited on Weekend Wait time No wait More
Nov 20th, 2022

Visited on Weekend Wait time No wait Reservation recommended No More
Feb 19th, 2022

Jun 23rd, 2021

The story of the Motte and surrounding area is interesting, maybe should be more signs around it telling the story?
Jun 18th, 2020