Ecclesiastical residence

The National Monuments Service's description

On a broad ridge at the N edge of Elphin town, and c. 550m N of the cathedral (RO016-127001-). The palace of the Bishop of Elphin, Tomaltach O'Conor who had just been elected Archbishiop of Tuam, was destroyed in 1258 by Hugh O'Conor, along with the bishop's other palace at Kilteasheen (RO006-013002-) (AFM vol. 3, 365). Its site is unknown. After the supression of the Franciscans at St Patrick's church (RO016-148001-) in 1563 that site was chosen by Bishop King for a palace (RO016-128001-) in the 1620s that became known as the castle. Bishop Hudson provided funds for a Grammar school and the Cathedral in his will in 1685, and this provided capital for a new palace built on the prsent site, but it was not constructed until the 1750s by bishop Edward Synge. This palace consisted of a three-storey central block with two two-storey pavilions attached by plain curved sweeps to the NE and SE. The main block was demolished in 1912, but each side pavilion is a two-storey four bay E front by a three bay side. Archaeological testing c. 50m to the SE of the Palace failed to recover any associated material (Carey 2004a), and archaeological testing during 2008 on the central block uncovered part of the W wall (Wth 1.1m) in an area that was covered with stone and brick debris (Read 2008e; 2011c).

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 2nd February 2011

References

Carey, A. 2004a Elphin: no archaeological significance. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2002: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 454, No. 1606. Dublin. Wordwell.

Read, C. 2011c Elphin: post-medieval. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2008: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 306, No. 1032. Dublin. Wordwell.

Read, C. 2008e Archaeological testing at 'The Bishop's Palace', Palace Road, Elphin, Co. Roscommon. North West Archaeological Services. Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Licence no. 08E0637.

AFM - Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. John O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint New York, 1966)