Historic Kingston College, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

On Tuesday 1st May 2012, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Paul Colton, will lead Trustees (present and past) and Kingston College residents in  celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the Kingston Charity.

Kingston College is located in Mitchelstown, County Cork.  The readers at the Service will be the Warden of the College (Mrs Carole Bradley) and the Secretary to the Charity (Mr Wilfred Baker).

The anniversary has been marked by the restoration of the two bells in the College Chapel and the restoration also of the weather-vane on the Chapel roof.  A short history of the charity’s 250 years, written by Cork-based historian, Dr Alicia St Leger, will also be launched. Tomorrow also, a new chaplain – the Reverend Michael Thompson – will be installed and will take up residence in Kingston College.

The College was established by James, fourth Baron Kingston, who died in 1761 and whose Will established the Charity and provided for the building of a chapel and surrounding houses.   The dwellings were built originally to accommodate ‘poor decayed Gentlemen’ and ‘Gentlewomen, members of the Church of Ireland.  However, since 1993, when the Kingston Charity Trust was established, accommodation has been offered also to people who are not members of the Church of Ireland.

The houses and chapel were designed by architect John Morrison and completed by Oliver Grace.  John Morrison’s son Richard and grandson William Vitruvius Morrison were renowned architects.