Scrabo Tower - Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland
Being in Newtownards means getting the chance to visit Scrabo Tower - and you should never miss such a chance! (
Scrabo Tower is located to the west of Newtownards in county Down, Northern Ireland, this turreted tower is a noted landmark which stands at 540 feet (which is 160 meters tall) above sea level and is 125 feet (35 meters) high; a tall building which is now banning people to go up for some security reasons.
For the length of this tower as well as for being placed on a hill, it could be actually spotted from almost all the north part of county Down. The history of Scrabo Tower began in 1857 as it was built as a memorial to Charles Stewart, the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry who was one of the Duke of Wellington's generals during the Napoleonic Wars.
Today, Scrabo Tower houses two floors of display with access to a viewing level via a climb of 122 steps, but in April 2014 it was closed for the safety of the visitors because the Northern Ireland Environment Agency said that the tower had suffered serious water ingress that had damaged the electricity supply. In 2015, the tower started to reopen occasionally until it opened completely once again in 2017, allowing all those who might be visiting Newtownards for Scrabo Tower to climb it and see the views from up there.
There is a country park just beside the tower - or which is considered part of the tower itself - which is always open to the public and has several woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood. As much as this is considered a historical building to check and know more about while being in Newtownards, the scenes and views which you will get the chance to receive are magnificent; actually the view from the hill extends across Strangford Lough to the Mountains of Mourne and the Scottish coast.
The name Scrabo which is given to the tower is said to come from the Gaelic word for a cow pasture for the days when there was a community pasture for cattle on the hill, but unfortunately the stone or hut circles were destroyed by the creation of the golf course.
Building this tower went through different stages and there were even different designs created before settling on the one given to this tower, and all that was just to commemorate the Marquis. The first tenant of the tower was William McKay, a foreman at the quarry, who with his wife brought the family of 8 children in the tower and even the keys of the tower were handed back to Londonderry Estate by his granddaughters.
Getting these mesmerizing views from Scrabo Tower and enjoying the green area that is surrounding it is only one thing that you could enjoy doing in Newtownards because there are still other things to be visited and other places to be considered.
If you came to check this tower in Newtownards then you should also consider some other places as well, such as the Greyabbey ( the Kiltonga wildlife reserve which will provide you with a walk along the birds' view ( and there is also Mount Stewart House and Gardens (
On the other hand, there are lots of places that are located in county Down, Northern Ireland, and even if they might not be all close to one another or within reach, we can mention some of those which we have been to: we have been to Rostrevor ( Donaghadee ( Portaferry ( Dundrum Castle ( Crawfordsburn ( Bangor ( Ballywalter ( and Tollymore Forest in Newcastle ( these are some of those which we have visited, but you could still find lots of other places in county Down.
We personally recommend visiting Scrabo Tower if you happen to be in Newtownards, not just to check this as an old historical building but also to indulge in the scene that you are going to receive if the tower is open and you are allowed to get inside, or even just by getting this view while standing on the hill right next to the tower; it is all worth it! We have already been there several times and we are happy about them all.
If you have been to Newtownards before and visited Scrabo Tower, tell us about the experience you have had and share with us any of the discoveries which you have managed to find out about the place - we will be very excited to hear from you all.
This was our trip to Scrabo Tower in county Down, Northern Ireland, and the the views we have managed to receive - just amazing!
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
A Tour Of Scrabo Tower
Please watch: Carnfunnock Country Park
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Scrabo Tower is located to the west of Newtownards in County Down, Northern Ireland. Built in the 1850s as a memorial to the Marquess of Londonderry it was originally and formally known as the 'Londonderry Monument'. The turreted tower is a noted landmark and stands 540 feet (160 m) above sea level and is 125 feet (38 m) high.
The landmark, which is visible from most of north Down, was built above Newtownards in 1857 as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry who was one of the Duke of Wellington's generals during the Napoleonic Wars. The 3rd Marquess, or Fighting Charlie as he was also known, inherited the title and family seat of Mount Stewart after his brother, the 2nd Marquess, committed suicide. The 2nd Marquis is better known as Viscount Castlereagh, the politician who served a term as Britain's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The tower houses two floors of displays, with access to a viewing level via a climb of 122 steps. In April 2014, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency said that the tower had suffered serious water ingress, which had damaged the electricity supply, and citing concerns for visitor safety, advised that the tower would close to visitors. By 2015, the tower opened occasionally, and by July 2017 was fully reopened to the public.
Scrabo Country Park, in which the tower stands is also open to the public, and has several woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood. The view from the hill extends across Strangford Lough, scattered with its many islands, to the Mountains of Mourne and the Scottish coast. Scrabo Golf Club is overlooked by the tower and park.
Scrabo Tower Newtownards Co Down
Dominating the whole Newtownards skyline for miles. Providing panoramic views over Newtownards town, the aerodrome, Strangford Lough, the Irish Sea beyond to the Isle of Man and Scotland to the North and then down to the Mournes. Painted and photographed thousands of times is Scrabo Tower. ( Gaelic for cow pasture. )
Built in 1857 by the ordinary people of the area who wanted to pay tribute to their benefactor Charles William Vane the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry. This landowner and member of the gentry, unlike so many others was a very popular man who was known for his generosity and kindness. He had tried to alleviate hardship caused by the potatoe famine some years earlier.
The Tower cost £3000, a princely sum in those days! It is 125' high and the walls are 3' thick. It is built from igneous Dolomite stone quarried nearby and then finished or rendered with sandstone also quarried nearby.
The Tower was in McKay family use up until 1966 and was opened by them as a tea room. It is now open in the Summer when you can climb up it's 122 steps to take in the views from the top or spend time in the countryside Centre below. The lands around the Tower taking in Killynether wood and the two hidden treasure quarries below are marvellous wildlife havens and worth a visit in their own right.
It is not surprising then that the 'wild area' around Scrabo and in Killynether Wood has featured as one of the locations of the recently released (Oct 1 2014 ) Dracula Untold action/horror film made largey in Northern Ireland.based in a disused C&C, soft drinks, factory on the Castlereagh road!
Scrabo Tower Newtownards Northern Ireland April 2012
Scrabo Tower, Newtownards
Pictures of Scrabo Tower in Newtownards, Northern Ireland
Scrabo tower, Newtownards
View from Scrabo Tower in Co.Down, N.Ireland
Scrabo Tower, Scrabo, Northern Ireland, UK
We parked in the wrong parking lot and ended up walking the golf course that this amazing tower resides!
Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Newtownards, is a large town, townland and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. Newtownards lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is situated in the civil parish of Newtownards and the historic baronies of Ards Lower and Castlereagh Lower. Newtownards is the largest town in the former Borough of Ards. It is known colloquially by locals as Ards.
The town of Newtownards is overlooked by the 100-foot (30 m) high Scrabo Tower. The tower is 41 metres high, and was erected as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, in recognition of his concern for the plight of his tenants during the great potato famine. It is open to the public and houses a historical and local environment exhibition. The basalt topped sandstone hill at Scrabo is one of the dominant features of north Down. The tower now stands tall in Scrabo Country Park with its woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood.
The Somme Heritage Centre, which is situated a little north of the town, is the Somme Association's flagship project. Situated adjacent to the Clandeboye Estate outside Newtownards, the centre is a unique visitor attraction of international significance showing the reality of the Great War and its effects on the community at home. The centre commemorates the involvement of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions in the Battle of the Somme, the 10th (Irish) Division in Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine and provides displays and information on the entire Irish contribution to the First World War.
The centre promotes cross-community contact, mutual understanding, an appreciation of cultural diversity, and is a major visitor attraction. The centre is built on ground provided by Ards Borough Council in what is to be the Whitespots Country Park. It is linked to Helen's Tower on the Clandeboye Estate via the Ulster Way. Historically, the 36th (Ulster) Division trained on the estate during the first few months of the war and German prisoners of war were interned there. A replica of Helen's Tower was built on the Somme battlefield as Northern Ireland's national war memorial.
On the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside Newtownards and near Greyabbey, stands Mount Stewart, an 18th-century house and garden – the home of the Londonderry family. The house and its contents reflect the history of the Londonderrys who played a leading role in British social and political life. The ninety-eight acre garden at Mount Stewart has been proposed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Largely created by Edith, Lady Londonderry, wife of the 7th Marquess, in the 1920s, it has an unrivalled collection of rare and unusual plants.
( Newtownards - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Newtownards . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Newtownards - UK
Join us for more :
Little drive around Newtownards
Testing out the Mobius 1080p HD Keychain camera, attached by mushroom Velcro by 3M.
Scrabo Tower - Drone Footage
At the top of Scrabo Hill, overlooking Strangford Lough and the whole of North Down, is Scrabo Tower. The tower, which was built in 1857, is one of Northern Ireland’s best known landmarks and the views from the top are spectacular. Inside the tower you can see an exhibition and short video detailing its history.
Scrabo Country Park is centred at the top of Scrabo Hill near Newtownards and boasts incredible views over Strangford Lough and the surrounding countryside. There are plenty of paths through the fine beech woodlands of Killynether Wood and around the disused quarries allowing visitors many opportunities to enjoy the quiet and peaceful countryside.
Universal Pictures filmed several scenes of the new Dracula Untold film at Scrabo Country Park & Killynether Wood. This was one of many of the locations used for filming across Northern Ireland.
Short approach to runway 08 near Scrabo Tower, Newtownards, in a Cessna 172SP
Sunday 27th May2012 I called into the flying club for tea and chat but got a free back seat in one of our Cessna 172 aircraft, courtesy of the two student pilots practicing landings on the short and difficult to approach 08 runway. What a beautiful day to go flying.
Scrabo Tower: what the heck just happened?
I was just filming out of a window in Newtownards and I happened to capture this
Newtownards Road Trip
Newtownards road trip from kfc to Scrabo
Newtownards: Green All Over
NI Assembly's only Green MLA, Brian Wilson, praises Baglady and crew for using public transport; Baglady meets Castle Gardens PS Green Buddies and shares a green glove handshake.
Scrabo Tower Overview
The landmark, which is visible from most of north Down, was built above Newtownards in 1857 as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry who was one of the Duke of Wellington's generals during the Napoleonic Wars. The 3rd Marquis, or Warring Charlie as he was also known, inherited the title and family seat of Mount Stewart after his brother, the 2nd Marquis, committed suicide. The 2nd Marquis is better known as Viscount Castlereagh, the politician who served a term as Britain's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Scrabo Tower... Strangford Lough
At the top of Scrabo Hill, overlooking Strangford Lough and the whole of North Down, is Scrabo Tower. The tower, which was built in 1857, is one of Northern Ireland’s best known landmarks and the views from the top are spectacular. Inside the tower you can see an exhibition and short video detailing its history.
UTV Promo and Ident (Scrabo Tower) - 2011
UTV relaunched its presentation on 2 January - an example of a promo in the new style (Primeval), followed by one of the set of new idents
Broadcast 2 January 2011
Moto Trial NI, Super Trial, Leadmines Newtownards
Moto Trial NI
Super Trial
Sunday 11th August 2019
Leadmines, Newtownards, Northern Ireland
Scrabo Tower
An aerial view of Scrabo Tower situated in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Shot in stunning 4K resolution
Music -