Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre in Meath, Ireland
The Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre is located at the Oldbridge House, on a site surrounded by restored Victorian walled gardens. Traveling to this area, allows visitors to appreciate the beautiful Irish countryside.
The Oldbridge House is a recently restored 18th-century mansion sitting on the banks of the River Boyne. The center provides an insight into one of the most significant battles in Irish history. Occurring in 1690, the Battle of the Boyne occurred between King William III (William of Orange) and his Catholic father-in-law King James II. When the Protestant King William III won the battle, it was seen as the beginning of the Irish Protestant Ascendancy. This mansion was constructed on the former battleground.
Across the site are life-sized mannequins and remakes of tents that would have housed soldiers. There is also a film shown at the center that documents the history of the battle. There is even a laser model of the battlefield and replicas of 17th-century weaponry.
The Townley Hall Forest is nearby and offers magnificent views of the River Boyne. A walk through the forest leads to King Williams’s Glen, where 36,000 troops set up camp during the war before launching a surprise attack on the troops of King James II.
