Raphoe Castle Aka Bishop’s Palace, Co. Donegal - 30 May 2021 - v1

Raphoe is the main town in the fertile district of East Donegal known as the Laggan. Although now ruinous, this fine and impressive former Church of Ireland Bishop's Palace aka Raphoe Castle, originally dating to the first half of the 17th century.
The turret-like towers to each of the four corners creates a castle-like composition that belies its original function as a clerical dwelling.
The defensive character of the building is further reinforced by its prominent hilltop siting, protected on the north, west and south sides by steep slopes. The foundation stone (jamb stone) to one of the towers at basement level is inscribed 'IO LES--LAEVS EPS RAPOT IMVM POSVIT LAPIDEM 17 MAIII 1636 SVPREMVM 19 AVG 1637 TRANS-LAT SVAE 5°'.
The three armorial plaques built into the exterior walls to three sides of the building, one being the coat of arms of the Leslie family, the other two plaques unknown.
This building originally cost upwards of £3,500 to construct but the expense was apparently partly defrayed by leasing church lands in consideration of a grant towards its construction. It was later altered during the mid-eighteenth century, probably by Bishop Nicholas Foster (b.? d.1743) around the same time the tower was added to the associated Raphoe Cathedral and the Old Royal School was constructed c.1740.
Dr William Bisset (b.1758 d.1834), shortly after his elevation to the see in 1822, improved the house by re-roofing and slating it and giving it the appearance of a castle by adding minarets'.

The Fighting Bishop
The Rev. John Leslie (b.1571 d.1671) born in Crichie (Stuartfield), Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 14 October 1571. He was Anglican Bishop of Orkney (the Isles), Scotland (1628-1633), Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal (1633-1661) and Bishop of Clogher in County Monaghan (1661-1667). Also known as "The Fighting Bishop" due to opposing both the Irish Rebellion of 1641-1642, in which many Catholics feared invasion of Ireland by an army supported Parliamentarians who were in open opposition to King Charles I, and also for opposing Oliver Cromwell in 1649 when he led an invasion of Ireland by Parliamentarian forces.

He was ordained deacon 1618 by John King (b.abt 1559 d.1621), Bishop of London, and at the age of 50 the King made him a domestic Chaplin c.1621.

He lived abroad for twenty-two years in Padua Italy, Leipzig Germany, Madrid, Salamanca and San Sebastian in Spain, but chiefly in the latter country. He spoke French, Spanish, and Italian fluently.

It is said that Dr. Leslie was with George Villiers (b.1592 d.1628), Duke of Buckingham, at the Siege of Ile de Ré (near La Rochelle), in 1627 in support of the Huguenots fighting against the French crown, perhaps as Chaplain, very possibly as combatant.

When Charles I was finally crowned in Edinburgh in June 1633, he rewarded Leslie’s loyalty with a new appointment as Bishop of Raphoe in Co. Donegal and he moved to Ireland around this time.

Leslie was almost 62, but Ireland offered a fresh start, in life and in love. Leslie found many of the diocesan estates had been acquired illegally by lay people, and he used the force of law to recover some of these lands.

Feeling threatened in his new location and having no official residence he used the stone from an existing ancient Round Tower which overlooked the town of Raphoe and in 1638 started building a new fortified episcopal palace, known as Bishop’s Palace.

Bishop John Leslie was besieged within Bishops Palace during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, until he was relieved by the Laggan Army.

At the Restoration in 1660, Leslie, by now an elderly but sprightly man of 88 – rode from Chester to London in just 24 hours to declare his loyalty to Charles II. He then returned to Ireland and resumed his role as Bishop of Raphoe.

Raphoe Castle was later burned in 1688 by King James' forces, the Jacobite’s as they marched their way to Derry and was subsequently repaired by Bishop Alexander Cairncross (b.1637 d.1701) a former archbishop of Glasgow.

A century later, the castle was attacked again, this time by the Society of United Irishmen in the Irish Rebellion of 24 May to 12 October 1798.

On recommendation of Charles II, the Irish Parliament voted to him a reward of £2,000. Leslie said he hoped ‘that whatever the house hath given to a prophet may receive a prophet’s reward.’

It was at this stage that the See of Clogher became vacant and Bishop John Leslie now requiring an estate of his own used the money to help buy Glaslough Castle.

Rev. Leslie died at Castle Leslie on the 8 September 1671, about 1 month short before reaching his 100 birthday and was buried in St. Saviour church which he had founded on the grounds of Castle

Leslie estate, Glaslough.
He was then the oldest bishop in the world, having filled that dignified station for 50 years.

During 1838 Raphoe Castle was destroyed by a fire, there’s a number of conflicting accounts. It remains today in its current dilapidated state.