Discover more at Castle Coole
Find out when Castle Coole is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.
Things to do in Castle Coole's house
Step inside the house at Castle Coole to experience the ornate interiors, uncover the stories of the family who lived here and explore the extensive servants’ world below stairs. You can join a guided tour, see a state bedroom built for a royal visit and explore the underground servants' tunnel at this Neo-classical house.
Castle Coole mansion is closed for Winter
Castle Coole mansion is closed for Winter, while the House Team carries out essential conservation work. It will reopen for tours in March 2025. Please check the homepage for up-to-date opening times.
Step inside the house
A fine Neo-classical home
Built to impress in the 1790s, Castle Coole is now widely recognised as one of the finest Neo-classical houses in Ireland.
Join a tour
Join a guided tour to see the lavish rooms including the grand oval Saloon and the State Bedroom designed for a visit from King George IV.
Guides will share stories about the house
The informative guides will be able to tell you all about the various craftsmen who worked on the property during the 1790s as well as the generations of the Lowry-Corry family who have shaped the house and estate up to the current day.
Find out more about the house and estate
Uncover the story of two historic houses which once stood on the Fermanagh demesne, including a tower house built in 1611 and the first house built in 1709–10.
Research reveals the past
Evidence of the existence of these buildings is found in plans, drawings, maps and estate records from the archives. There's also evidence in some prominent earthworks, where you can also spot the remains of the historic formal garden which included a sunken bowling green, orchards and a water garden complete with a boating lake and ornamental canal.
It's one of the most complete archaeological survivals in Ulster of an 18th-century formal garden layout.
How to book your tickets
You can book tickets for the guided tour when you arrive.
Sorry, photography is not allowed
Please note that photography is not permitted inside the mansion.
Explore underground
Go down to the basement
Once occupied by a small army of servants, the extensive basement at Castle Coole is one of the most impressive that we care for, where you can explore a hidden underground world.
Look through the wine cellar
Wander through the servants’ quarters to get a glimpse of what life here was like for the people who lived and worked at Castle Coole. On your tour you can visit the Footmens’ Room, Wine Cellar, Servants’ Hall and the Kitchen.
Venture into the tunnel
You can also experience the dimly lit servants’ tunnel, which was designed to provide direct access to the Grand Yard and Farm Yards (where the laundry, dairy, fuel stores and stables are located), discreetly hidden from view.
How to visit the house
The house is available to see by guided tour only from March-October. In Winter, the house closes for conservation work.
Please book onto your house tour at Visitor Reception.
Tours last approximately one hour and take in all of the main rooms in the mansion, as well as the basement where the servants lived and worked.
Groups are welcome but bookings are essential. Please call us on 028 6632 2690 or email: castlecoole@nationaltrust.org.uk.
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Whether built through a martial disagreement, family rivalry or even a quirky stipulation in a will, each of the houses and buildings in our care has its own unique story to share. From Castle Coole, one of the greatest Neo-classical country houses in Ireland, to The Crown Bar, a masterpiece in pub architecture, intriguing items and fascinating finds speak of centuries ceased and capture a snapshot in time.