Stormont Castle
| Stormont Castle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 54°36′07″N 5°49′49″W / 54.602003°N 5.830232°W |
| Built | c.1830 |
| Architect | Thomas Turner |
| Architectural style(s) | Scottish baronial style |
Listed Building – Grade A | |
| Official name | Castle, former stable block and stone steps |
| Designated | 13 March 1987 |
| Reference no. | HB26/13/014 |
Stormont Castle is a manor house on the Stormont Estate in east Belfast which is home to the Northern Ireland Executive and the Executive Office.[1] It is a Grade A listed building.[2]
History
Stormont Castle was completed c.1830 and was reworked in 1858 by its original owners, the Cleland family, to the designs of Thomas Turner in the
Between 1921 and 1972, it served as the
With the imposition of direct rule in 1972, it served as the Belfast headquarters of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Office (NIO) ministers and supporting officials. During The Troubles, it was also used by MI5 officers.[5] The Good Friday Agreement was concluded in nearby Castle Buildings in April 1998.[6]
A £7.5m renovation was completed in 2001. The work was the most extensive completed since the building's construction and the architect stated that "[the] objective was to create a modern, functioning office space while maintaining the historic character of the building."[3]
The castle is open to the public each year on the European Heritage Open Day weekend.[7]
References
- ^ "History and tour". www.northernireland.gov.uk. Northern Ireland Executive. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Historic Building Details". Department for Communities. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ a b Ryder, Chris (4 November 2001). "Stormont stands by after Pounds 7.5m revamp". The Sunday Times. London.
- ^ "Conclusions of a meeting of the Cabinet held at Stormont Castle" (PDF). Government of Northern Ireland. 5 December 1968. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ^ "UK | Northern Ireland | 'No need' for new MI5 base in NI". BBC News. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ Gleeson, Colin (10 April 2018). "The inside story of how the Belfast Agreement was struck". Irish Times. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Stormont Castle History and tour". Northern Ireland Executive. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
External links
- Tours of Parliament Buildings
Media related to Stormont Castle at Wikimedia Commons
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