Pogue's Entry Historical Cottage
Tucked down a narrow alleyway off Church Street, Pogue's Entry is a restored 18th-century weaver's cottage and the childhood home of Alexander Irvine, whose 1909 memoir 'My Lady of the Chimney Corner' became an international bestseller. It is one of Antrim's most overlooked treasures.
Inside the Cottage
The single-room cottage has been preserved with period furnishings — a box bed, a spinning wheel, an open hearth — giving a visceral sense of how a linen-weaving family lived in Georgian-era Ulster. The walls are thick, the ceilings low and the atmosphere genuinely moving.
Irvine's mother Anna, the 'Lady of the Chimney Corner' herself, became a beloved literary figure celebrated for her warmth and wisdom. Interpretive panels tell her story alongside the wider history of the linen industry that once drove Antrim's economy.
A Quiet Corner Worth Seeking
Because it sits off the main street behind an easy-to-miss archway, most visitors to Antrim walk straight past it. That makes a visit feel like a private discovery — you may well have the cottage entirely to yourself.
The surrounding alleyway and courtyard have been tidied up and planted with period-appropriate herbs and flowers, making it a pleasant spot to pause even if the cottage itself is closed. Check opening times in advance as hours are seasonal and managed by volunteers.
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