• Important Notice
  • A yellow weather warning for RAIN has been issued from 7am on Thursday 28 March to 3am on Friday 29 March.
  • Important Notice
  • There may be changes to Council services over the Bank Holiday period, including bin collections.
  • Accessibility Options
  •  

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Logo

27/05/2021

Works to commence at Antrim’s historic Steeple Site

Improvement works to Steeple Park in Antrim are set to commence in the coming months.

Improvement works to Steeple Park in Antrim are set to commence in the coming months.
 
Once the location of a former medieval monastery, the 17 acre parkland site includes the historic Antrim Round Tower, a scheduled monument which served as a bell-tower and place of refuge from raiders and is one of only two complete towers remaining in Northern Ireland.
 
Plans for the park include new interpretive signage and pathways to promote greater access to the site, showcasing the Round Tower as a unique feature.

To allow for potential future development, the works will also include restoration of Steeple House, the former Council Headquarters which was damaged in a fire in July 2019.  Plans are also being developed by a third party to develop a section of the site as a healthcare facility.
 
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Jim Montgomery said;

“It’s fantastic to see this historic site being developed as a tourist attraction while protecting the historic nature of the Round Tower and surrounding parkland. Having lived all my life in the Steeple area, I know how important this site is to the local residents and it’s great that we can open up this site to visitors and generate interest in the history of this site and the wide Antrim town area.”