Castle Espie

Castle Espie is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) on the banks of Strangford Lough, three miles south of Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the townland of the same name. It is part of the Strangford Lough Ramsar Site. It provides an early wintering site for almost the entire Nearctic population of pale-bellied brent geese.[1] The Castle which gave the reserve its name no longer exists.

Castle Espie
TypeConservational charity
Location
  • WWT Castle Espie,
    78 Ballydrain Road,
    Comber,
    County Down
    BT23 6EA
Websitewwt.org.uk
Crannog at Castle Espie

Features
View from visitor centre

It has the largest collection of ducks, geese and swans in Ireland. In addition to the reserve, the site contains The Kingfisher Kitchen, gift and book shop, The Graffan Gallery, exhibition areas, hides, woodland walks, sensory garden, events and activities, free parking, a picnic area[1] and a reconstruction of a Crannog, an ancient type of dwelling found in Scotland and Ireland from the European Neolithic Period to the early 18th century.[2] The Visitor Centre features award-winning sustainable design including rain water harvesting, natural reed bed filtration systems for waste water, solar power and provides sweeping vistas of the northern shore of Strangford lough from the Kingfisher kitchen.[3]

History

There is archaeological evidence from the Mesolithic period at the site.[4]

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, lime was quarried at the site, and processed in Hoffmann kilns.[5][6] In the nineteenth century, there were also brickworks on the site.[7]

The site has been managed by WWT since 1990.[8]

Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch

In 2021 Castle Espie was used as a filming location for the BBC wildlife series Springwatch and Autumnwatch presented by Gillian Burke and in January 2022 Winterwatch presented by Megan McCubbin[9][10][11]

Townland

Castle Espie (from Irish: Caistéal an Easpaig, meaning 'castle of the bishop')[12] is also a townland of 255 acres in the civil parish of Tullynakill and the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower.[13]

References
  1. "Castle Espie". Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
  2. "Geograph:: Crannóg, Castle Espie © Rossographer". geograph.ie. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  3. "Sustainability". WWT. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  4. Welsh, H.; Welsh, J. (2018). Sites of Prehistoric Life in Northern Ireland. Archaeopress Publishing Limited. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-78491-794-4. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  5. Murray, E.; Logue, P. (2010). Battles, Boats & Bones: Archaeological Discoveries in Northern Ireland, 1987-2008. TSO Ireland. ISBN 978-0-337-09592-4. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  6. Belfast Naturalists' Field Club (1874). Guide to Belfast and the adjacent counties. Marcus Ward. p. 33. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. Jewitt, L.F.W. (1878). The History of Ceramic Art in Great Britain: From Pre-historic Times Down Through Each Successive Period to the Present Day ... The History of Ceramic Art in Great Britain: From Pre-historic Times Down Through Each Successive Period to the Present Day. Scribner, Welford, and Armstrong. p. 486. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. "Poots marks 30th anniversary of Castle Espie". The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Gov.UK. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  9. Tinson, Emma (2 June 2021). "Springwatch: Why isn't Chris Packham presenting Springwatch?". Daily Express.
  10. "Castle Espie receives plaudit". Down Recorder. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  11. "BBC Winterwatch TV show airs live from Castle Espie". thedownrecorder.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  12. "Castle Espie". Place Names NI. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  13. "Castle Espie". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Retrieved 19 May 2015.

54.52935°N 5.69810°W / 54.52935; -5.69810

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