Palace — Elphin

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