Castle Ward

Filmed as Winterfell courtyard

📍 Strangford, County Down, United Kingdom

🧭 Directions

📍 Check in ☆ Log in to save

Castle Ward — Photo: Joseph Mischyshyn · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Scene breakdown

Winterfell courtyard

Game of Thrones S01E01

Bran practises archery with Robb and Jon; King Robert’s party rides in; the direwolf pups are brought home.

Bran Stark Robb Stark Jon Snow Eddard Stark Robert Baratheon Cersei Lannister Jaime Lannister
Winterfell yard / smithy

Game of Thrones S01E02

Jon gifts Arya the sword Needle before leaving for the Wall.

Jon Snow Arya Stark Mikken

Real-world history

National Trust estate on Strangford Lough. The 1610 tower house and farmyard were Winterfell’s courtyard, gates and archery yard in Season 1 (CGI completed the castle). Audley’s Castle on the same estate appears in camp establishing shots.

Logistics & accessibility

Admission: National Trust ticket (about £13–20 adult; members free). Separate Winterfell / archery experiences book extra.

Parking & accessibility: On-site lots included with admission; shuttle from overflow on busy days.

Best time to visit: April–October. Book the Winterfell tour in summer. Allow 2–4 hours.

What else to see here

Audley’s Castle

Tower house

on the estate trail
Inch Abbey

Abbey ruin

20 min drive