You
are looking towards All Saints' Parish Church it was built in 1596 which tells
us that it was the fourth Anglican Church to built in Ireland. The church
was burnt to the ground in 1649 by the Scottish Covenating army of Major General
Robert Munro along with the rest of the town when Cromwell's soldiers in Antrim
Castle refused to surrender the castle. It was not rebuilt until 1720 but
records show that ministers officated in it during Commonwealth times. During
the 'Battle of Antrim' in 1798 the church's thatched roof was not only destroyed
by fire but also the last cannon ball fired came through the roof. Fourteen
years later the church's tower was added in 1812 by the then Rev.George Macartney,
Episopalian vicar of Antrim an Templepatrick, the spire was added four years
later. As you can see from the present day photograph the houses between it
and High Street Presbyterain Church were knocked down after 1964 to make the
entrance to Riverside wider. One other difference you can see is the pub which
used to owned by Felix Quinn is now the Steeple Inn.
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