Kilclief Castle
Kilclief Castle near Strangford in County Down, Northern Ireland, is a well-preserved fifteenth-century tower house built between 1413 and 1441 by John Sely, Bishop of Down, as a summer residence on the shore of Strangford Lough. The castle is notable as one of the earliest tower houses in Ireland for which a firm date of construction is known, making it an important benchmark for understanding the development of the tower house form in Ulster. The building features twin towers flanking the entrance passage on the main facade, creating an unusually formal and symmetrical appearance that may reflect the ecclesiastical status of its builder. The castle is in the care of the Historic Environment Division and stands on the lough shore with attractive views across the water toward the Ards Peninsula.