Kilroot House, Kilroot, County Antrim, Ireland

Notes:
The house, also known erroneously as the “Bishop’s House” or “Bishop’s Palace”, is a three-storey house of mostly basalt rubble-stone and probably dating to the early 18th century. It has been in ruin most likely since the end of the 19th century, and has been noted by various accounts to have remained roofed until the early 20th century. It is now partially overgrown and a sign to the north of the building discourages entry due to potential falling stones and masonry.



The house, described in most 19th century accounts as “Kilroot House”, obtained the name of the “Bishop’s House” or “Bishop’s Palace” in the 20th century by way of an unfortunate mistake. The 1611 Report of the Plantation Commissioners describes a Bishop’s house, which is now known to refer to an earlier 17th century house built by Bishop Robert Humston, who was Bishop of Down and Connor from 1601 until 1606.



20th century sources unfortunately misinterpreted the text and assumed that it referred to the three-storey ruin of Kilroot House. Despite the mistake now being widely known, the structure is nevertheless still most commonly known as the “Bishop’s House” and was even scheduled under this name in November 2000. The real “Bishop’s House” was further to the northwest, where the current cluster of nineteenth century buildings now stand. A much later building on the Larne Road nearby was also named Kilroot House, further adding to the confusion.



The house was probably built by Edward Brice, a Scottish native and Protestant minister who settled in County Antrim in the early 17th century and became prebend of Kilroot in 1619. Although the circumstances are unknown and described by some as “puzzling”, Brice soon acquired much of the land in Kilroot by way of a long-term lease. The northern wall of the graveyard, the dovecote in the north-east bastion of the bawn and Kilroot House are all attributed to the time period shortly after Brice acquired the land. An elaborate garden was also built just south of the house, which was partially uncovered by archaeologists in 2003.

Birth

Matches 1 to 1 of 1

	Last Name, Given Name(s)	Birth	Person ID
1	Brice, Rev. Archibald Adair	10 Nov 1769	I0668