James Chaine Burial Mound – Larne, Northern Ireland - Atlas Obscura

James Chaine Burial Mound

Buried upright and facing the sea, James Chaine transformed the town of Larne.  

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Born in 1841 near Cairncastle, James Chaine was educated at Blackheath in England and married Henrietta Creery from Newcastle in County Down. Chaine was an incredible representative of the region, who helped transform Larne into a busy port and market town in East Antrim.

Chaine also maintained a successful shipping business. With his later appointment as a Conservative Member of Parliament for East Antrim in 1874, he was able to develop the Larne to Stranraer cross-channel trade routes. He also partly financed the construction of the port and the Larne Railway Lines from Larne to Belfast, as well as Larne to Ballyclare and Ballymena. Unfortunately, Chaine lost his life at the age of 43 in May 1885 after contracting pneumonia. 

Townspeople were so moved by his passing that they constructed a private burial mound where he was buried in a standing position looking out towards the Irish Sea. Later, the people of Larne built the Chaine Memorial Tower in 1888 in his memory. Today, the private memorial mound is home to his late wife, as well as other family members.

Know Before You Go

The James Chaine Burial Mound is located inside Larne Town Park along the Glenarm Road heading towards Coast Road. The site has a free car park along  Glenarm Road, which is adjacent to the mound.


The site is also about 10-15 minutes walking distance from the town center, which is close to the train and bus station in Larne. The site offers spectacular views of the Irish Sea, Islandmagee, and the Scottish coastline on a clear day. 

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