Antrim Presbytery
Archived: 13 October 2026
In 1725, Ireland’s significance lay in institutional and political tensions rather than a single decisive event. Lord Carteret suspended William Wood’s contested halfpence patent, demonstrating the force of opposition mobilised by Jonathan Swift while leaving Ireland subordinate to Westminster. His administration exposed a treasury deficit and renewed reliance on parliamentary patronage. The Synod of Ulster created the Presbytery of Antrim for non-subscribing ministers, deepening Presbyterian divisions over conscience and confessional authority. Dublin’s first surviving Grand Lodge meeting recorded freemasonry’s organisation. These developments unfolded within a rural, unequal Protestant state, where Catholics and Presbyterians faced disabilities and economic life remained vulnerable.
