Mermaids going home to Antrim Castle Gardens

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has been advised that some stonework being stored by the Department for Communities Heritage Buildings branch has become available.

The stonework includes decorative panels from above the main entrance, including that depicting two mermaids and a shell, a carved panel from above the doorway cornice, the Clotworthy and Langford family coats of arms, the royal arms and King Charles I as well as sections of carved stonework. It is currently owned by Lord Massereene.

The council anticipates that he will permit the artefacts to be returned to Antrim Castle Gardens to “form part of the built heritage collection and be placed on public display in the area of the castle”.

A report to the council’s Community Planning Committee, which will meeting on Monday evening, proposes that subject to the approval of Lord Massereene and the cost of transport, the stonework is returned to the Antrim Castle Gardens with transport costs to be covered by the local authority.

Antrim Castle was extensively remodelled in 1813 and in 1818, the Barbican Gate was created as the final stage in this process, forming the main entrance from the town.

The stonework is being made available after Heritage Buildings advised that its store in Castlewellan needs to be vacated by the end of the year.

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Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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