ROBINSON, THE MOST REV. SIR RICHARD, archbishop of Armagh and Lord Rokeby, was immediately descended from the Robinsons of Rokeby in the north riding of the county of York, and was born in 1709. He was educated at Westminster school, from whence he was elected to Christ-Church, Oxford, in 1726. After continuing his studies there the usual time, Doctor Blackburne, archbishop of York, appointed him his chaplain, and collated him first to the rectory of Elton, in the east riding of Yorkshire, and next to the prebend of Grindal, in the cathedral of York. In 1751,
Robinson. he attended the duke of Dorset, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, to that kingdom, as his first chaplain, and the same year was promoted to the bishopric of Killala. A family connection with the earl of Holderness, who was secretary of state that year, with the earl of Sandwich and other noblemen related to him, opened the fairest prospects of attaining to the first dignity in the Irish church. Accordingly in 1759 he was translated to the united sees of Leighlin and Ferns, and in 1761 to Kildare. The duke of Northumberland being appointed to the lieutenancy of Ireland in 1765, he was advanced to the primacy of Armagh, made lord-almoner, and vice-chancellor of the university of Dublin. When Lord Harcourt was lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1777, the king was pleased by privy-seal at St James's, February 6th, and by patent at Dublin the 26th of the same month, to create him Baron Rokeby of Armagh, with remainder to Matthew Robinson of West Layton, Esq.; and in 1783 he was appointed prelate to the most illustrious order of St Patrick. On the death of the duke of Rutland lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1787, he was nominated one of the lords-justices of that kingdom. Sir William Robinson, his brother, dying in 1785, the primate succeeded to the title of baronet, and is the survivor in the direct male line of the Robinsons of Rokeby, being the 8th in descent from William of Kendal. His grace died at Clifton near Bristol in the end of October 1794.
No primate ever sat in the see of Armagh who watched more carefully over the interest of the church of Ireland, as the statute-book evinces. The act of the 11th and 12th of his present majesty, which secures to bishops and ecclesiastical persons repayment by their successors of expenditures in purchasing glebes and houses, or building new houses, originated from this excellent man, and must ever endear his name to the clergy. The other acts for repairing churches, and facilitating the recovery of ecclesiastical dues, were among the many happy exertions of the primate.
But it was at Armagh, the ancient seat of the primacy, that he displayed a princely munificence. A very elegant palace, 90 feet by 60, and 40 high, adorns that town; it is light and pleasing, without the addition of wings or lesser parts; which too frequently wanting a sufficient uniformity with the body of the edifice, are unconnected with it in effect, and divide the attention. Large and ample offices are conveniently placed behind a plantation at a small distance. Around the palace is a large lawn, which spreads on every side over the hills, skirted by young plantations, in one of which is a terrace, which commands a most beautiful view of cultivated hill and dale; this view from the palace is much improved by the barracks, the school, and a new church at a distance; all which are so placed as to be exceedingly ornamental to the whole country.
The barracks were erected under the primate's direction, and form a large and handsome edifice. The school is a building of considerable extent, and admirably adapted for the purpose; a more beautiful or better contrived one is nowhere to be seen; there are apartments for a master, a school-room 36 feet by 28, a large dining room and spacious airy dormitories, with every other necessary, and a spacious play-ground walled in; the whole forming a handsome front; and attention being paid to the residence of the master (the salary is 400l. a-year), the school flourishes, and must
prove one of the greatest advantages to the country. This edifice was built entirely at the primate's expence. The church is erected of white stone, and having a tall spire, makes a very agreeable object, in a country where churches and spires do not abound. The primate built three other churches, and made considerable reparations to the cathedral; he was also the means of erecting a public infirmary, contributing amply to it himself: he likewise constructed a public library at his own cost, endowed it, and gave it a large collection of books; the room is 45 feet by 25, and 20 high, with a gallery and apartments for the librarian. The town he ornamented with a market-house and shambles, and was the direct means, by giving leases upon that condition, of almost new-building the whole place. He found it a nest of mud cabins, and he left it a well-built city of stone and slate. These are noble and spirited works, in which the primate expended not less than 30,000l. Had this sum been laid out in improving a paternal estate, even then they would be deserving great praise; but it is not for his posterity but the public good that his grace was so munificent. A medal was struck by the ingenious William Mossop of Dublin, which has on one side the head of the primate, inscribed "Richard Robinson, Baron Rokeby, Lord Primate of all Ireland." And on the reverse, the south front of the observatory at Armagh, erected by his grace, with this admirable motto, "The Heavens declare the glory of God." MDCCLXXXIX.