Priory of Saint Columba and more: what to see in Newtownards
Newtownards and its surroundings hold 4 museums, 2 abbeys or priories and 2 castles. The settlement itself has 3 places on our list; 7 others are within 5 km of its edge. In heritage care, one place on the list is looked after by the National Trust. Walking distance covers 2 of the places on the list, all within 1 km of the middle. At 9.3 km, Stormont Castle is worth the journey.
Highlights of Newtownards
Along with Priory of Saint Columba, see 3 museums, an abbey or priory and a castle.
Abbey or prioryPriory of Saint Columbain townMuseumMuseumArds Arts Centrein townMuseumMuseumWar Years Rememberedin town
Abbey or prioryBangor Abbey4.9 km outside town, to the north
CastleBangor Castle4.9 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumSomme Heritage Centre500 m outside town, to the northEach has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.
On the map
Beyond the town, the 7 nearby are mostly to the north.
The dashed line is Newtownards’ settlement; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · NISRA settlement development limit 2015
What kind of places
Count 4 castles or historic places and 4 museums or galleries.
Green: inside Newtownards. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.
1 place is cared for by the National Trust (Red Squirrel Hide).
The whole list for Newtownards
The 3 inside Newtownards come first, then 7 more within 5 km of its edge.
The 3 inside Newtownards come first, best known first; then the places within 5 km, close and well known first. Churches and listed buildings are on the History page, not here.
57 listed buildings and 4 scheduled monuments are on Newtownards’ History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Newtownards →
Beyond the town
Allow a day for Stormont Castle, 9.3 km away, the pick of 12.
Historic houseStormont Castle9.3 km west
Historic shipSS Nomadic15 km westHistoric houseHistoric house · National TrustMount Stewart7.4 km southeast
CastleCarrickfergus Castle15 km northwest
Historic houseBelfast Castle17 km west
GardenBotanic Gardens16 km west
CathedralSt Anne's Cathedral, Belfast16 km westCathedralCathedralSt Peter's Cathedral17 km west
Historic shipHMS Caroline14 km west
PalaceHillsborough Castle30 km southwestMuseumMuseumUlster Museum16 km west
Castle · National TrustCastle Ward26 km southPlaces well known beyond Newtownards (Wikipedia articles in several languages, published visitor counts, or a National Trust property), close and famous first. Distances are straight lines from the middle of the town.
Know before you go to Newtownards
What are the main attractions in Newtownards?
The best known inside Newtownards’ settlement are Priory of Saint Columba, Ards Arts Centre and War Years Remembered. In all, 3 places to visit are mapped inside the town, and 7 more within 5 km.
Does Newtownards have a museum?
4 museums and galleries are in or within 5 km of Newtownards: Ards Arts Centre, War Years Remembered, Somme Heritage Centre and North Down Museum.
Is there a National Trust property near Newtownards?
Yes. In or within 5 km of Newtownards, 1 place is cared for by the National Trust (Red Squirrel Hide).
What are the best-known days out near Newtownards?
Within 40 km: Stormont Castle (9.3 km), SS Nomadic (15 km), Mount Stewart (7.4 km), Carrickfergus Castle (15 km).
Where are Newtownards’ historic buildings listed?
Newtownards has 57 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade A. They are on its History page, from the Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division’s list, not repeated here.
How is this list made?
From OpenStreetMap (museums, galleries, zoos, theme parks and attractions, castles, forts and abbeys, and historic houses and gardens that are open to visitors) and Wikidata (what each place is, who runs it, its website and visitor counts). A place counts for Newtownards when it is inside NISRA’s settlement development limit, and as nearby within 5 km of its edge. Opening times and prices are not shown: check the official site.
Places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence) and Wikidata (CC0), placed in NISRA’s Settlement Development Limits 2015 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Visitor counts are the latest Wikidata gives, with their year.
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (12)
- Priory of Saint Columba: Dennis Reynolds, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bangor Abbey: Andrew Muir from Bangor, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bangor Castle: MartinRobinson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stormont Castle: Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- SS Nomadic: Irid Escent, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carrickfergus Castle: Stewart, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Belfast Castle: Portwilliamborn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Botanic Gardens: Robert Young, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast: The original uploader was Stuart at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- HMS Caroline: Surgeon Oscar Parkes, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hillsborough Castle: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Castle Ward: Ardfern, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.