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All the United Kingdom Northern Ireland Carrickfergus Carrickfergus Radar Tower

Carrickfergus Radar Tower

An abandoned shipping control tower looks like a satellite perched at the end of a pier.

Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

Added By
Nicholas Davis
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CAPTION
  TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
  TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
  TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
The signature of the architect.   TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
  TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
The tower in slightly better days.   Geograph/David Hawgood
  Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Looking back toward Carrickfergus Castle.   TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
Tower when it was more intact.   Geograph/Eric Jones
Just the old bones left   AnnaMoon / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the historic town of Carrickfergus on the East Antrim coast, there is a massive castle, old town houses, a historic pier—and a strange-looking tower at the end of the pier. This odd construction opposite Carrickfergus Castle is known as a Radar School Tower, and was primarily used to monitor shipping arrivals and departures from the Belfast Lough area. The tower was built in the 1960s, but with improved technology it soon became obsolete, and was completely derelict by the 1990s. Yet it still sits at the end of the pier, like a historic wreck at the bottom of the ocean, and its only use is as a shelter for fishermen when it rains. 

The Radar Tower is a listed historic building, and therefore there are restrictions on what can be done with it. Plans have been proposed to turn the tower into an art gallery or even a coffee shop, but nothing has happened just yet.  

Related Tags

Infrastructure Shipping Abandoned

Know Before You Go

The radar tower is located on the pier adjacent to Carrickfergus Castle, and is accessible by walking or cycling. If traveling by car, there is public parking opposite the castle. It's also walkable from the train station. 

Community Contributors

Added By

TownTactics

Edited By

Dr Alan P Newman, Samir S Patel, AnnaMoon

  • Dr Alan P Newman
  • Samir S Patel
  • AnnaMoon

Published

July 6, 2020

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrickfergus
  • http://ni_towns.tripod.com/carrickfergus/carrickfergus-harbour.html
  • https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Radio_control_tower,_Carrickfergus_harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1583961.jpg
Carrickfergus Radar Tower
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, BT38 8BJ
United Kingdom
54.710526, -5.806388

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Photo of Carrickfergus

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Northern Ireland

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Photo of Carrickfergus

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Northern Ireland

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