In the year 1613 Sir Hugh Clotworthy and his bride Lady Marian came to Antrim to live in what would later become the castle grounds. Lady Marian who was used to the lively times she had spent with her friends in Carrickfergus Castle, spent her time wandering through the woods along the banks of Lough Neagh. One day a terrifing roar broke the silence of her walk and there ready to spring and attack her was a huge wolf. Just before it did, there sounded another ferocious roar and out of the woods bounded a wolfhound, at this moment Lady Marian fainted and fell to the ground.

The tow animals then locked together in a fight to the death, when Lady Marian came round later she found the wolf lying dead on the river bank and nearby the wolfhound wounded and panting. Lady Marian then brought the dog to the nearby bwan and tended to its wounds, but as soon as it had recoverd it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

As the years passed the castle was built and the incident passed into local folklore, that is until one stormy night. It was the middle of winter and the wind and rain was slashing the castle and forest with a mighty noise. When suddenly the sound of the wolfhound baying could be heard clearly above the storm. Sir Hugh immeadiately sent his warders frightened as they were to the top of the castle grounds Motte to see what it could be. As they peered into the darkness instead of seeing the wolfhound they were amazed to see a large army of Irish invaders coming towards them. The troops were alerted and the invaders quickly melted away when they realised they had lost the element of suprise.

Once again the wolfhound had saved the Clotworthy family from disaster so Sir Hugh Clotworthy had a stone statue made with the wolfhound showing it's teeth and ears pricked up as if on alert. It was then mounted on the roof in gratitude to the dog and also to ward off any superstitious foe. It was said that no harm would come to the househould as long as the dog watched over them.

At a later date when the statue was removed for restoration they accidently broke the tail with a chisel leaving only a stump of a tail. Now this is were the legend comes true, for the castle was burnt to the ground and now all that remains is a stump of a Castle!

The Wolfhound statue now stands in the grounds of the Antrim Forum, it's just across the main road from the town centre and the statue looks across the Sixmilewater River to the castle grounds from whence it came.