This derelict building on the western shores of Rathlin Island was once part of the community’s main source of trade: kelp. A large seaweed that thrives in shallow, nutrient-rich coastal waters, kelp varies in color, texture, and nutrients around the world, and has long been harvested for use in food, medicine, and even beauty products.
The Kelp House was built in the mid-18th century by the Gage family, who purchased the island in 1746 when Reverend John Gage bought it from Lord Antrim for £1,750. The Gages lived on Rathlin for more than two centuries and shaped much of its economy and landscape.
Here, kelp cut at low tide was dried in the sun, burned in shoreline kilns, and reduced into a molten mass. Once cooled and broken up, it was stored and weighed in this building before being shipped to Ireland and Scotland. Tenants who harvested the seaweed were paid for what they delivered, or had its value deducted directly from their rent to the Gages.
The last kelp passed through this store in the 1920s, as cheaper methods of chemical extraction made the industry obsolete. Still, the stone structure has survived the years and even found new life as a backdrop for film, theater, and dance, keeping a small piece of Rathlin’s seaweed heritage alive.