Culloden Hotel

TEMPLETON ROBINSON (c1790-1826), of Chichester Street, Belfast, a draper, married Margaret Auchinleck, and was father of

WILLIAM AUCHINLECK ROBINSON JP (c1816-98) married, in 1847, at St Anne's Church, Belfast, Elizabeth Jane (1819-89), daughter of Patrick Culloden (1768-1844), of Arthur Street, latterly Stranmillis, Belfast.

Earlier generations of Robonson's paternal ancestry can be documented in Stewartstown, Country Tyrone back well into the 18th century. His parents were both buried at Clifton Street Cemetery in Belfast. Mr Robinson was a stockbroker, and initially settled on the Antrim Road, Belfast. He conducted his business at 67 High Street. His commercial prowess and acumen were such, that he purchased land at Craigavad, County Down. 

The Cullodens would appear to have come to Belfast from Dublin: Patrick Culloden (1768-1844), a Calico printer, was born in Dublin.

CULLODEN, Cultra, County Down, was built in 1876 by the Belfast firm, Young & Mackenzie.

Most of the stone came from Scotland by boat, landed at Portaferry, and was conveyed by horse and cart to the Craigavad site.

The mansion took two years to build, during which time the Robinsons lived in a modest cottage within the grounds.

The house and grounds are located between the main road and the railway line.

Culloden House, named after his wife, Elizabeth Jane Robinson (née Culloden) was presented to the representative body of the Church of Ireland.

At the end of the 19th Century, Culloden House duly became the official residence of the Lord Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore, and was known as The Bishop’s Palace.

Ardtullagh, Knocknagoney, near Holywood, was the previous episcopal palace, but this property was acquired in 1886 by the War Department (Ministry of Defence) for use as military barracks. The barracks are still in use today by the Army and are known as Palace Barracks.

The Rt Rev Thomas James Welland was the first prelate to live at Culloden, in 1898.

Death notice for W A Robinson; click to enlarge;
(Image: S E Holdrege)

In subsequent years, three further bishops lived at Culloden.

During the tenure of Bishop Crozier (later Archbishop of Armagh), a private chapel, the Jeremy Taylor Memorial Chapel, was dedicated within the house.

Sale of Culloden House; click to enlarge
(Image: S E Holdrege)

During this period, the celebrated songwriter and entertainer Percy French often stayed there (Bishop Crozier was godfather to French’s second daughter).

In the 1920s, the Church of Ireland sold Culloden to Sir John Campbell MD FRCS LL.D, a well-known Belfast gynaecologist and MP for Queen's University of Belfast, 1921.

In 1959, Culloden was purchased from Sir John’s son, Robert, for £10,000, by Thomas C Reid, sometime chairman of the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association.

Mr Rutledge White, proprietor of White’s Home Bakery, purchased Culloden in 1962.

It was opened as a hotel, comprising eleven bedrooms, the following year, under the management of Mr White’s son-in-law, Mr Roberts.

The late hotelier Sir William Hastings, CBE, purchased the premises in 1967, and Culloden is now one of Northern Ireland's most prominent hotels.

First published in October, 2012; revised.