If you’re sitting on your sofa in disbelief that Game of Thrones has ended, then you’ll want to check out Gosford Castle in Northern Ireland. The castle featured heavily throughout the series and has just sold for a mere $647,000.
Of course, you won’t get the whole castle for this price, but what you will get is a slice of the Game of Thrones legacy and the chance to become a property tycoon. In 2006, the castle was split into sections. Preparing it for a new life as a group of luxury apartments, groups of master craftsmen were brought onboard to oversee a restoration which would bring the castle into the 21st century, but also maintain key elements of the lavish original design.
As part of the Game of Thrones series, you might recognize Gosford Castle as Riverrun, the childhood home of Catelyn Stark. Originally built in the 1800s for the 2nd Earl of Gosford, the castle was built in a Norman style and has a history of its own game of thrones. The castle was commandeered for soldier barracks and was a prisoner of war camp in the second World War, then became Ireland’s first national park before falling back into military use during The Troubles (Northern Ireland Conflict) in the 1980s.
There are 15 bedrooms complete with roof turrets and walled gardens, with the original vaulted ceilings and fireplaces still intact. What the new owners have decide to do with the castle is currently unknown. If they aren’t going the property mogul route and following the plans for five separate apartments within the residence, then they can always share the wealth by making a Game of Thrones-themed hotel or escape room to appease fans.
Although there are five separate spinoffs ordered for the franchise, fans will have to wait an untold amount of time for these to land on their screens. HBO has already confirmed a prequel set thousands of years before the current storyline, but exact details surrounding a release date hasn’t been announced. In the meantime, fans can listen to A Podcast Remembers, our Game of Thrones podcast about the world of Westeros created by George R.R. Martin. Online slot developer Microgaming has also released a Game of Thrones slot game, for which you can get free spins when you sign up with certain US casino platforms. Now that the TV show has surpassed the books, fans can also look forward to the next installments in George R.R. Martin’s original inspiration for the hit show.
It might feel like the end of an era, but the story certainly isn’t ending. The Game of Thrones world spans generations and there are thousands of characters that we have yet to meet. It is just the beginning for a franchise which brought fantasy novels into the 21st century. For now, you can dream of having your own slice of Westeros, and upping sticks to a castle in Northern Ireland.
Featured image: Maison Real Estate
