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Ballyclare Motte

When John de Courcey invaded Ulster with his Norman army in 1177 he built a castle at Carrickfergus and later established a series of defensive outposts along the Ollar River (which the soldiers were to rename the Six Mile Water).

This fine example of a 13th century Norman motte would have had a wooden palisade around the top and would have been manned by a company of soldiers.

This was one of a chain of mottes which marked the frontier. There are two at Doagh and another at Antrim. In recent landscaping around the Six Mile Leisure Centre, the river was diverted and now flows closer to the motte.

Across the river and within sight of the motte are the bungalows of Riverdale where a hoard of flint arrowheads was discovered when they were being built. This collection is housed in the Ulster Museum.

The motte is in War Memorial Park, Ballynure Road, Ballyclare.