Strangford Castle
Strangford Castle is a well-preserved sixteenth-century tower house in Strangford village in County Down, Northern Ireland, standing near the ferry slipway that connects Strangford to Portaferry on the opposite shore of the Narrows where Strangford Lough meets the open sea. The castle was built to control the important crossing point at the Narrows, where the powerful tidal currents create one of the strongest tidal flows in Ireland and where all sea traffic entering and leaving the lough had to pass within range of the castle's defences. The tower house is in the care of the Historic Environment Division and is freely accessible. Strangford village is a small and picturesque settlement with a good harbour and a strong boating tradition, and the Strangford Narrows visible from the castle are a marine nature reserve of international importance.