Provost's House, Trinity College Dublin

The Provost's House is a five-bay, two-storey house with seven-bay single-storey wings on each side, which dates from 1759 and was built for Provost Francis Andrews of Trinity College.[1][2]

Provost's House
Provost's House, Trinity College Dublin
A view of the Provost's house from the college campus perimeter
Map
General information
TypeUniversity administrative building and dwelling house
Location1 Grafton Street
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland
Completed1759
James Malton's engraving of the Provost's house in the 1790s

Design edit

The designer is unknown but may have been the Dublin architect John Smyth. It has a Palladian design with a central Venetian window and doric pilasters and is similar to that built by Lord Burlington for General Wade (now demolished) in London in the 1830s, who in turn copied a drawing by Andrea Palladio. Another version of the house existed in Potsdam.[3]

The ground floor ashlar stonework is heavily tooled with round-headed arches spanning over the windows. The centre arch over the entrance door is slightly wider than the others. The upper floor consists of pilasters standing on a string course and supporting a strong cornice at roof level. The two wings are both similar with a three-bay breakfront surmounted by a pediment. It is the only one of Dublin's great Georgian houses which still serves its original purpose.[citation needed] It lies at the north end of Grafton Street near the corner with Nassau Street and has the unique address of No 1 Grafton Street.[citation needed]

Henry Keene may have designed the interior. Metalwork may have been by Timothy Turner.[citation needed]

It was described by Charles Robert Cockerell in 1823 as follows: "The beautiful front of the Provost's House,...... had been completely spoilt by a high pitched roof and the centre arch having keystone smaller than the sides, producing a disfigured visual effect."[citation needed]

Other usage edit

In 2017 the house was used as a neutral venue for negotiations between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as part of Irish government formation talks.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ "1760 – Provost's House, Trinity College Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Provost's House". tcd.ie. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Provost's House, Grafton Street, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Dublin City". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Hidden treasure in Dublin houses a thriving community". www.ft.com. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

53°20′36″N 6°15′31″W / 53.34333°N 6.25861°W / 53.34333; -6.25861