King House (Earl of Kingston / Lord Lorton)

Time to check out your ancestor's old landlord?

Built in 1730, King House is a magnificently restored Georgian mansion located in Boyle, Co. Roscommon.  It was the seat of the King family – one of the most influential landed families in the West of Ireland. If Lord Kingston was the landlord to your ancestors ... then this is surely one door you should knock upon!

The Seat of Lord Kingston

In 1667, Lord Kingston was granted over 23,000 acres in Connacht and over 14,000 acres in Munster.  Sir Robert King, 1st Baronet PC (I) (circa 1625 – March 1707) was an Anglo-Irish politician. The King estate was one of the largest in Connacht – stretching from the main estate in County Roscommon to lands in Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo.  The estate was centered around Boyle in County Roscommon, firstly at King House and later at Rockingham. The family also held extensive lands in other parts of the country notably around Mitchelstown, Co. Cork (held under the Earls of Kingston) and in Co. Tipperary.

Military Barracks

King House later became a military barracks and recruiting depot for the famous Irish regiment of the British army – the Connaught Rangers.  At the end of the Civil war in 1923, the barracks passed into the control of the newly-formed Irish Free State Army. Following many years as a merchant’s store, King House was saved from demolition in the late 1980s and restored to its former Georgian style by Roscommon County Council.

Public Museum & Town Library

Now open to the public, a visit to King House is a walk through almost 300 years of history.  Its collections include the History of Boyle, the King Family, the Connaught Rangers, the Boyle Civic Art Collection, and more. Here, you can marvel at the grandeur, savor the magnificence of the period rooms, or just have fun exploring the interpretive exhibitions.

King House plays host to musical, dramatic and cultural events to include the ever-popular Boyle Arts Festival. It is also a is a fully-licensed civil wedding location.  The basement of King House now serves as Boyle Town Library.

YouTube: Historic Houses in Co Roscommon

Open Tour Season: April - September

A tour of the house takes approximately 60 minutes. Audio Packs are available for self-guided tours in a variety of languages.

Open April-September  [Pre-booked groups are welcome all year round].

During the season: open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am with last admissions at 5 pm. 

Open Sunday 11 am to 4 pm (last tours at 3 pm). Also, open over holiday weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays (during the open season).

Admission Charge: Adults €5; Child/OAP/Student €2; Family (2 adults & 3 children) €15. Groups €3

Access: King House is fully wheelchair accessible, with an elevator between floors.