Sentry Hill

About the museum

Sentry Hill is a heritage house and farm in the townland of Ballyvesey near Newtownabbey, associated with the McKinney family. The family came from Scotland in the 18th century, and a grandson, Andrew, lived at Sentry Hill in the 1780s. The present house was built in 1835 to replace a thatched farmhouse. A porch, conservatory, bathroom and kitchen were added in the 1880s.

William Fee McKinney, born in 1832, gathered much of the collection that survives in the house. The house and farm stayed in family ownership until 1996, when Dr Joe Dundee, a grandson of William Fee McKinney, died. The contents of the house have survived almost intact.

Today Sentry Hill is run by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. The collection of artefacts and archive material gives an insight into rural life in Ulster in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors can walk in the gardens and see the museum and visitor centre free of charge, and the house itself can be seen on guided tours at weekends.

Highlights

• Farmhouse built in 1835 with contents that have survived almost intact
• Collection of artefacts and archives on rural life in 19th-century Ulster
• Guided tours of the house at weekends
• Gardens and visitor centre with free entry

Permanent exhibitions

• Sentry Hill house tour – A guided tour of the 1835 farmhouse with its original furnishings and family collection.
• Museum and visitor centre – Artefacts and archive material that show rural life in Ulster in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Operated by

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the site, gardens, museum and toilets is free. Only the guided tour of the house is charged.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The upper floor of the house is not open to visitors with access needs, but a recording of it can be viewed in the audio-visual room on the ground level of the visitor centre. The road to the site has a steep gradient, and there is no bus stop within about 150 yards. Details are in the AccessAble guide for the site.

Kids & families

A family ticket is available for the guided house tour, and the site holds family events such as a picnic day.

Getting there & parking

The road to the site is steep, and there is no bus stop within about 150 yards.

Amenities & dining

Toilets are available in the visitor centre.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit