Confirmed · County Down · Landscape

Inch Abbey and the River Quoile

Robb's camp at Riverrun; the Tully funeral on the river in Game of Thrones. Open to visitors; allow 30–60 minutes.

Panorama of the roofless ruins of Inch Abbey on green grass under a wide sky — Photo: Paul Bowman / Flickr · CC BY 2.0 ↗

On screen as: Robb's camp at Riverrun; the Tully funeral on the river
Series and episodes: Game of Thrones Season 3 · Game of Thrones Season 3, Episode 3
Access: Open to visitors
Time needed: 30–60 minutes
Where: Downpatrick, County Down

On screen

How Inch Abbey and the River Quoile appears

Inch Abbey's roofless church and the meadows around it stood in for the camp outside Riverrun, seat of House Tully, where Robb Stark gathers his bannermen. The neighbouring River Quoile appears in season three's Walk of Punishment, when the Tullys send Lord Hoster's body downriver in a burning boat and his son struggles to hit it with a fire arrow. In the story Riverrun lies in the Riverlands, at the meeting of two rivers in the middle of Westeros; the real setting is a quiet stretch of wetland on the edge of Downpatrick. The castle itself was a digital and studio creation, so do not expect walls by the water.

Game of Thrones Season 3, Episode 3: Walk of Punishment

The real place

What you can visit

Inch Abbey is a state-care monument: the ruins of a Cistercian abbey founded in the late 12th century on what was once an island in the Quoile marshes. You can walk around the church, with its tall east windows, and the outlines of the cloister buildings. Entry is free and the site is open at reasonable times. A riverside path follows the Quoile, and views across the water towards Downpatrick and its cathedral are part of the appeal. The exact spot of the funeral scene is not marked, so enjoy the river from the public bank rather than looking for a precise camera position.

The riverside is soft after rain and the Quoile marshes attract wildlife, so keep dogs on a lead and stay on the path.

Discover Northern Ireland: Game of Thrones filming locations ↗

Getting there.

The abbey is signed off the A7 about a mile north-west of Downpatrick, postcode BT30 9AX, with a small free car park at the end of the lane. Downpatrick has buses from Belfast. Ground around the ruins is grassy and uneven, and the riverside can be wet, so wear sturdy shoes. There are no facilities on site.

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Common questions

Planning a responsible visit

Is Inch Abbey free to visit?

Yes. It is a state-care monument with free entry and a small car park. There are no staff or facilities on site, so bring what you need.

Which episode was filmed at Inch Abbey?

The River Quoile beside the abbey was used for the Tully funeral in season three's Walk of Punishment. The abbey grounds also played Robb's camp at Riverrun earlier in the series.

Is Riverrun castle at Inch Abbey?

No. The castle was created in the studio and digitally. Inch Abbey and the river supplied the camp and the water, so you will find medieval abbey ruins rather than a fortress.

Plan your visit