Woodburn Abbey, also called St Mary's Abbey, was a Premonstratensian monastery in the north-west of Carrickfergus, in the parish of St Nicholas. It was disbanded and fell into ruin during the seventeenth century.
A ghostly figure believed to be a monk is seen near the Belfast Road close to the old abbey site, and the wooded area to the north and north-west is also thought to be haunted. In 1951 the Courtaulds rayon-spinning factory was built over the ruins, and the dilapidated remains of the factory now stand where the figure is often seen. Spirited Isle notes that in September 2024 a new development was approved for the site, and the old factory is to be demolished.
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