Official tourism website for Northern Ireland
En

Portora Castle

Portora, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, BT74 5GH
Portora Castle

Book Tickets Online

About

Portora Castle guards a former crossing point where the river joins Lough Erne. Built in 1613 by Sir William Cole, it consisted of a 3 storey house across the breadth of the bawn which was defended by 4 circular towers.

The house was let to Bishop Spottiswood, Bishop of Clogher until 1629 and thereafter was occupied by the Coles until 1764. The castle had an important military role in the 1641 rising and again in 1688, it withstood these sieges without damage, but finally fell to boys of Portora School playing with homemade explosives in 1859 and was further damaged in the great gale of 1894.

The two tall round towers to the north west were part of the house, which occupied this end of the bawn. They have splayed gun-loops for defence and there are traces of fireplaces in the house wall, but little survives of its other walls. The east flanker tower was lost to river dredging works, but the south tower still stands, lower than those linked to the house. Excavation in the bawn in the 1990s showed that very few archaeological remains survived.

No unaccompanied children under the age of 16.

Book Tickets

Guide Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
TicketFree

Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.

Add Portora Castle to your Itinerary

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

Map & Directions

Opening Times

* Open Access all year round

What's Nearby

  1. A visit to The Inniskillings Museum at Enniskillen Castle is a journey through more than…

    0.89 miles away
  2. Situated beside the River Erne in County Fermanagh, was built almost 600 years ago by…

    0.9 miles away
  3. A trip to Headhunters Barber Shop & Railway Museum is like taking a remarkable journey…

    0.96 miles away
  4. Famous for its perfect 12th-century round tower and ruined Augustinian abbey, Devenish…

    0.98 miles away
  5. Visit Frances Morris in her studio/gallery to view the latest exhibition of her Irish…

    1.06 miles away
  6. The Marjorie Leonard Art Gallery is located in the Buttermarket, a beautifully restored…

    1.08 miles away
  7. Forthill Park is a pleasantly wooded town park with walks, shrub gardens and children's…

    1.3 miles away
  8. Castle Coole one of Ireland's finest Neo-classical houses, allowing visitors to glimpse…

    2.73 miles away
  9. Built for Malcolm Hamilton and completed in 1618, it has a Scottish look about it, with…

    4.36 miles away
  10. Fermanagh Fun Farm is the place where families love to come to make lasting memories. We…

    5.25 miles away
  11. Florence Court is a truly welcoming home. The house, formerly the home of the Cole…

    7.35 miles away
  12. The Devenish figures are a unique collection of wooden sculptures carved out of Irish…

    8.15 miles away
  13. The country park boasts beautiful woodland and lough shore walks, an insect garden and…

    8.86 miles away
  14. Marble Arch Caves- Magical, Unique and Memorable. The Marble Arch Caves is a major…

    9.15 miles away
  15. This fortified house and bawn are set on Tully Point and were built for Sir John Hume who…

    9.17 miles away
  16. The Cladagh Glen, located in the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark, is a stunning walk providing…

    9.19 miles away

Virtual Tour

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Directions from Town:
1 mile (1.6km) north-west of Enniskillen, reached by turning right from the A46 (Donegal to Belleek) road on the outskirts of the town and along a track towards the lough to a car park at the site.

Back to Top

Tourism Northern Ireland

Don't Miss