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The origins of Whitehead go back to the Plantation of Ulster when the locality was know as Kinbane, the translation means White Head. Like Kinbane on the north coast, the name is descriptive of the limestone headland which once was dominant here. In contrast at the other side of the village is the dark basalt headland of Black Head. The ruins of Castle Chichester are still visible in the town, the remaining tower was built earlier than 1610, when its association with the Chichester family began. The family were influential in the development of Carrickfergus and Belfast, Sir Arthur Chichester succeeded his brother after he was killed by the MacDonnels, to become Governor of Carrickfergus and later the Lord Deputy of Ireland.
A small collection of houses and a harbour developed around the castle and which became known as Castlechichester or Chichester, the area had two other clachans Kinbane and Knocknagullagh, over centuries these merged into one. At one time a packet ship crossed between Chichester and Scotland with mail and goods, the mail was then dispatched by a smaller vessel to Belfast. The limestone cliffs that surrounded the location were extensively quarried during the 1800s, producing the stone needed for the developing railway line down from Belfast, the majority though was shipped from a natural tidal harbour, this was later developed with a pier to facilitate non tidal shipment. The export of limestone continued to the end of the 1800s century with the quarry eventually closed in 1920. Major developments came to the village when the Carrickfergus to Larne railway line opened in 1863, the railway company had plans to turn this Edwardian village into a holiday resort and Chichester by the Sea, as it was known, received big incentives from the railway company to built villas close to the station. The plan succeeded in turning the village into a unique Victorian seaside resort with many attractions for visitors in cluding a golf club, yacht club, bandstand and promenade with team rooms.
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