A story from Warrenpoint

Why the castle stands where it does

In short: Narrow Water Castle was built in the 1500s at the narrowest point where the Newry River meets Carlingford Lough, so it could watch and control who travelled by water.

Narrow Water Keep sits right where the river meets Carlingford Lough, the perfect spot to watch and control who came and went by water. The tower house and its wall date from the 1500s. It looks lovely now, but that spot was chosen for practical reasons, not the view.

Go and see it

Stand by the keep and look down the lough the way the lookouts once did.

About Narrow Water Castle →

Make a day of it: Sunny day With kids Short on time Free entry

Questions people ask

How old is Narrow Water Castle?

The tower house and its enclosing wall date from the 16th century, the 1500s.

Why was Narrow Water Castle built there?

It sits where the river meets the lough, the ideal spot to watch and control boats coming and going.

Can you visit Narrow Water Castle?

You can see the keep from the roadside and shore just outside Warrenpoint. Check current access before you go, as opening arrangements vary.

When: 1500s. Sources: Tower house and enclosure 16th century. Spotted something we should correct? Let us know.

Then, nearby

Somewhere to eat or drink afterwards, closest first.

Cafés · Warrenpoint

Leafy Greens & Co.

Vegetarian café and deli on Church St, Warrenpoint.

In Warrenpoint30–60 min

Cafés · Warrenpoint

Church Lane Coffee

Coffee shop on Church St, Warrenpoint.

In Warrenpoint30–60 min

Restaurants · Warrenpoint

The Wheelbarrow

Restaurant on Mary St, Warrenpoint.

In Warrenpoint1–2 hours

More stories from Warrenpoint

Story · Warrenpoint

How the train made Warrenpoint a holiday town

From 1849 until 1965 the railway ran right into Warrenpoint, and it changed the place. The railway company didn't just bring people here: it put money into hotels and entertainment so they'd stay. That's a big part of why Warrenpoint became somewhere you came for your holidays, not somewhere you passed through.

Stroll the seafront and picture the trains unloading holidaymakers a few streets away.

Story · Warrenpoint

The grand hotel that went bust in a year

The Beach Hotel opened in March 1885 with fifty rooms, a billiard room, a smoking room, and baths with hot, cold, fresh and salt water. It was a big bet, and it didn't pay off for its owner, Henry Stanley, who went bankrupt the following year. The Great Northern Railway Company bought it, made it bigger and folded it into their seaside holiday business.

Walk the front and look up at the old hotel buildings that line it.

Story · Warrenpoint

From grand hotel to school

The Great Northern Hotel stopped being a hotel in 1923, but the building carried on. Over the years it was a boarding school, a day school and a home for elderly men. One building, and you can follow the whole story of the town in it: from Victorian holidays to classrooms and care.

Look out for the old Great Northern building on your walk through town.