Sentry Hill is a 19th century farmhouse in the Parish of Carnmoney, County Antrim. The house and its contents provide a rare insight into life in rural Ulster during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Sentry Hill was the home of the McKinney family, who came to Ireland from Scotland in the early 1700s. Remarkably the contents of the house have survived almost intact. This is largely due to William Fee McKinney who was born in 1832 and lived at Sentry Hill for most of his life.
William built up a remarkable collection of diaries, family letters and an extensive library of books and pamphlets. Along with souvenirs from family travels abroad, William collected natural history specimens and items of local historical interest.
William also became an accomplished photographer in later life. His extensive collection captures work and leisure, friends and neighbours. In doing this he literally put a human face to the lives recorded elsewhere in his diaries.
Over the years many guests have been warmly received at Sentry Hill by the McKinney family. The last of the family may now be gone but their welcome remains and the door is now open for you. You can dander down the path through the sheltering trees and step inside the snug old farmhouse. As you cross this threshold you will stand where the past shakes hands with the present.
Access:
A car and coach park is provided a short walk away from the visitor centre. A parking and drop-off point for visitors with disabilities is available at the visitor centre.
The visitor centre offers ramped access to the first floor exhibition gallery and resource room. Accessible toilet facilities are available on the ground floor along with baby changing facilities.
Disabled access to the house is unavoidably limited to the ground floor. Information about the upper floors is available in the resource room of the visitor centre.
Induction loop systems are installed in the reception area and video introduction room. A sound enhancement system is available for the guided tours of Sentry Hill house.
2 manual wheelchairs and 2 powered mobility scooters are available. Booking is advisable.
Animals are not permitted except for guide dogs.
