Known locally as The Moat, Donaghadee Motte was constructed by the Anglo-Normans in the late 12th century. In 2021 the Gunpowder Store was conserved and restored under the Donaghadee Townscape Heritage Initiative funded by National Heritage Lottery Fund and Ards and North Down Borough Council and its now home to a Camera Obscura.
Visitors can watch a real-time panoramic image of Donaghadee's streets, harbour, rooftops, and coastline projected inside the tower; On clear days Scotland and the Isle of Man can be seen in the distance as well as the local area.
The Moat, Castle Street via EastStreet, Donaghadee, County Down, BT21 0ED
Opening Times
2 May -27 Sept 2026 Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00- 16:00 [Closed from 1pm - 1.30pm for lunch]
Admissions
Free admission. The Moat is only accessed by foot and up steps. There are two access points: Moat Street, indicated by a little archway would be a more gradual stepped climb to the top with on street parking. It can also be accessed via Moat Entry, off Shore Street (A48) where small, free car park is located.
The Moat, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
Lesley from Obscura Legacies visiting The Moat, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
Known locally as The Moat, Donaghadee Motte was constructed by the Anglo-Normans in the late 12th century. Circa 1821 a picturesque castle, the Gunpowder Store, was built on top of the Motte to store explosives during the building of the ‘new’ harbour. Both are owned by Ards and North Down Borough Council and are protected heritage assets: the Motte and surrounding ground are Scheduled Monument, and the Gunpowder Store is a Listed Building.
In 2021 the Gunpowder Store was conserved and restored under the Donaghadee Townscape Heritage Initiative funded by National Heritage Lottery Fund and Ards and North Down Borough Council - a brilliant project for using a listed historical building that needed preservation, which is set on a high point and with no windows!
The Moat is open to visitors during summer weekends and is free to visit.
The building houses a small exhibition about the Motte and Camera Obscura, and the history of the building is described by the visitor ambassadors before the lights are switched off and views of the surrounding area can be seen on the table.
Visitors can watch a real-time panoramic image of Donaghadee's streets, harbour, rooftops, and coastline projected inside the tower. On clear days Scotland and the Isle of Man can be seen in the distance as well as the local area - as can be seen in the image below.
As well as being open to visitors during summer weekends, many local schools visit the Moat during the week.
Lesley from Obscura Legacies visiting The Moat, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
The Moat Camera Obscura, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
Helen, visitor Ambassador for Ards and North Down (left) with Lesley from Obscura Legacies, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
Image of the viewing table at The Moat, 13 June 2026, photo Obscura Legacies
The Camera Obscura was designed and built by Peter Drew who came out of retirement to build this commission, his 21st camera obscura, in Donaghadee. The restoration of the Motte included the addition of a lower roof to which the camera obscura mechanism is attached; the image is displayed onto the viewing table, which can be adjusted to give the best image.
Further information about the history of the motte can be found in the publication “The History of Donaghadee & its Motte” (2021); McCormick, Finbar; Mullally, Evelyn; Neill, Thomas K.; Masefield, Robin; Brown, Nick; Day, Angélique; Turner, Ashley; Drew, Peter; Wilson, Primrose (authors). Mullally, Evelyn (ed.). Belfast: The Follies Trust. ISBN 978-0-9566907-6-0.
For visitor information see Visit Ards and North Down The official website of Visit Ards and North Down.
