Millview House

Come and see the fully restored Millview House, which originates from the late 19th century. Here you can see, feel and even smell how life was at the turn of the last century. Millview House is surrounded by open workshops in which historical artefacts are restored to their former glory.

A few words on the History of Millview House

MILLVIEW HOUSE, known locally as 'Ryans', is situated on Coopershill townland in the parish of Kilmacallan. Millview was built to replace a smaller, possibly thatched Cottage situated further back from the road near the Unchin River. The house was built cl873 by George Reid, a farmer and shoemaker. He was also Sexton of Taunagh Church of Ireland from 1844 until at least 1854. George Reid was born at Mount Talbot, south Co. Roscommon in 1810, the son of William Reid. A letter written by a Robert Reid in 1820 exists in the possession of a descendant of the family in England. In it, Robert Reid enquires of the whereabouts of a relative. The letter also includes a reference to some Reids who had been in the 'Indies', but it is not clear whether he refers to the East or the West Indies. The Elphin Diocese Marriage Licence Index includes a marriage between a George Reid and a Mary Johnston in 1843. As George's wife was named Mary, it is probable that this was their marriage. Mary was a seamstress and worked in Coopershill. In 1853, an ejectment order was sought by Robert George Weir in order to recover possession of Lakeview Estate (Lakeview House was situated on Doongeelagh townland) from Lancelot Ormsby Weir, infant son of the late William Weir and his wife Winifred Tivnan. Robert George Weir alleged that William Weir had not been in a competent state of mind when he married Winifred Tivnan and therefore any issue would not be a lawful heir to the estate. In March 1854, the case came before the Spring Assizes in Sligo and George Reid, as Sexton of Taunagh Church, where William Weir had married Winifred Tivnan in 1851, was one of the forty-five witnesses called to testify. Reid's evidence added weight to the medical evidence that Weir had not been in a sound state of mind when he had married. Reid testified that he had observed a difference in Weir's conduct and appearance from a year or two prior to the marriage and that Weir was in a bad state of mind on the morning of his marriage. Reid's evidence was quoted in the Sligo Chronicle of 4 March 1854:- '...I believed that he (Weir) was unsound, and am of the opinion still. I expressed that opinion to the clergyman (Rev. Browne, the Curate) in the church after the party went out. Mr. Browne shook his head and said that as long as he was ordained he never witnessed such a scene. I told the Curate that I thought the gentleman was not at all in his right mind, and he replied 'I perfectly agree with you'...' After deliberating for five hours, the jury found in favour of the Plaintiff, Robert George Weir. An application for a new trial was granted, but the jury failed to reach a verdict at the trial and were discharged. A third trial in 1855 found in favour of the Defendant, Lancelot Ormsby Weir. George and Mary had nine known children - Ellen, who married James Johnston of Drumfin, Co. Sligo but was originally from Kilmacshalgan Parish, Co. Sligo; Mary Ann, who married James Poyntz, a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Sub-Constable stationed in Riverstown and later in Co. Donegal; Jane, who married James Boland, Schoolmaster at Graniamore National School near Ballymote, Co. Sligo; William, Assistant Superintendant in the Prudential Assurance Company in Dublin; Robert who served in the RIC in Co. Antrim; Sara, a school teacher who did not marry and who lived in Millview House until her death in 1933; Elizabeth (Lizzie), who married James Ryan, a Sergeant in the RIC; John who died of Typhus Fever in 1884, and George, the eldest brother, who emigrated to New Zealand. Two letters survive, written by Jane Reid to her cousin John William Haworth in Manchester. The first was written in 1887 in reply to John's letter informing the Reids of the death of George's brother William. The second was written a year later from Graniamore National School following her marriage to James Boland. The letters provide information on the family and also on Millview House. '...Father built a fine new house near the old one. We are living in it now about seven years...it is much too large for us now that we are so few but when he planned it he meant John to be his successor but God willed it otherwise...' Cousin John's Grandmother appears to have been an Irwin, probably of the family who lived at Carransprawn near Riverstown, as Jane mentions this family in her second letter. Jane also mentions an aunt, Eliza Stewart, who lived in Dublin with her husband and youngest daughter. George Reid died in May 1891 his wife, Mary, in January 1892. James Ryan was an RIC Pensioner by 1912 and died in February 1942. Lizzie died in September 1934. They had had no children and Millview was left to James' nephew, William Ryan who subsequently lived there with his wife Margaret, until their deaths in 1979 and 1987 respectively. Lizzie James, William, and Margaret are buried in Carrownanty Graveryard Ballymote, Co. Sligo. Millview House was then purchased by Riverstown Enterprise Development (Sligo) Ltd and served as its Head Quarters until 2001, when the house transported back in time to the late 19th century.

The Restoration Project

The Restoration of the House commenced in October 2000. Prior to the restoration work the House was used mainly as Office Accommodation and for the Storage of more valuable artefacts.

The Work Starts

Following consultations with various Heritage Bodies and other Experts it was decided to restore the external walls in the traditional lime plastering finish. For this all old plaster had to be removed painstakingly, joints had to be cleaned, re-pointed and filled again. Following that a fairly lengthy process involved the 4 different work stages:
1. Daubing (Brush & Lime Wash Walls)
2. Scudding
3. Scratch Coat
4. Wet Dash As for the internal works a complete tidy-out had to take place, including the removal of modern dry-lined walls, electrical fittings, paints, etc. Extensive work was needed on many of the internal walls and ceilings, which were damaged extensively by dampness and soot from leaking chimneys. During this work some interesting discoveries were made, i.e. in total there were 4 fireplaces exposed, which were blocked up for many years. Further extensive work had to be carried out to all timber structures, which had been badly affected by woodworm and wet rot. Another problem area was the main roof and the two porches at front and rear of the building. Cracked slates and rotten roof timbers called for extensive restoration of same. Millview House is now as it was when George Reid first had it built and now serves to show visitors to the Sligo Folk Park what life was like for the Reid family when they first lived in the house nearly one hundred and thirty years ago.