Andrew Jackson Cottage and US Rangers Museum
A restored 18th-century thatched cottage near Carrickfergus with an exhibition on President Andrew Jackson and a museum of the US Army Rangers, free to enter.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Andrew Jackson Cottage is a traditional thatched farmhouse in Boneybefore, just under a mile from the centre of Carrickfergus. It was built in the 1750s by the Donaldson family, who lived in it until 1979, and is one of the few remaining cottages built for the Lowland Scots settlers who came to south-east Antrim. After 1979 it was sold to Carrickfergus Borough Council and restored to look as it did in the eighteenth century.
The cottage has an open fireplace with a daub and wattle canopy, a hanging crane and original furniture such as a dresser, spongeware crockery and iron pots. The house is linked to Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, whose parents emigrated to America in 1765 from the original Jackson homestead nearby; that house was pulled down in 1860 for the railway, and a blue plaque marks the site about 50 metres west of the cottage. A parlour room holds the Jackson exhibition.
The site also has a museum for the US Army Rangers, the first of whose battalions was formed in Carrickfergus in 1942. Documents, uniforms, photographs and other objects show the Rangers' training and wartime service. Since the merger of the local councils in 2015 the site has been run by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Highlights
- Thatched Ulster-Scots farmhouse built in the 1750s
- Parlour exhibition on Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States
- US Rangers Museum on the unit formed in Carrickfergus in 1942
- Open hearth with original furnishings
- Blue plaque at the site of the Jackson family homestead
Permanent exhibitions
- Andrew Jackson exhibition – A parlour room on the life of the 7th US President and his family links to Boneybefore.
- US Rangers Museum – Documents, uniforms and photographs on the formation of the US Rangers in Carrickfergus in 1942 and their Second World War service.
- Ulster-Scots cottage interior – A thatched farmhouse with open hearth and original furniture showing rural life in the eighteenth century.
- Operated by
- Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The tourism listing for the site names accessible toilets, guide dogs permitted and parking for disabled visitors. It gives a low fitness level required, but no details on step-free access to the old cottage are published.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Downshire station · 8-min walk
The nearest train station is Downshire, an 8-minute walk away.
By car
Free parking
Free parking is next to the cottage, with coach parking.
- Accessible parking
The cottage is less than a mile north of Carrickfergus town centre, off the Larne Road via Donaldson's Avenue.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
There is a picnic area and toilets on site.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
The tourism listing says the site is available for wedding receptions.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours are available on site and usually last about 45 minutes, though they can be tailored. Booking is not required, but groups of more than 10 are advised to book in advance. Educational visits are accepted. |
