Wide Streets Commission

Last updated

Sackville Street (as represented in this mid-18th century etching) was created by demolishing the buildings on the western side of Drogheda Street Sackville St and Gardiner's Mall in the 1750s by Oliver Grace.jpg
Sackville Street (as represented in this mid-18th century etching) was created by demolishing the buildings on the western side of Drogheda Street

The Wide Streets Commission (officially the Commissioners for making Wide and Convenient Ways, Streets and Passages) [1] was established by an Act of Parliament in 1758, at the request of Dublin Corporation, as a body to govern standards on the layout of streets, bridges, buildings and other architectural considerations in Dublin. The commission was abolished by the Dublin Improvement Act of 1849, with the final meeting of the Commission taking place on 2 January 1851. [2]

Contents

Other improvement commissioners in Dublin in the same era were the Pipe Water Committee for drinking water, the Paving Board for footpaths and sewerage, and the Ballast Board for Dublin Port. [3]

History

The Wide Streets Commission was established in 1758. Over the following decades, the commission reshaped the old medieval city of Dublin, and created a network of main thoroughfares by wholesale demolition or widening of old streets or the creation of entirely new ones. [4]

One of the first projects was to widen Essex Bridge (now Grattan Bridge), in 1755 to cope with the traffic congestion caused by human, horse-drawn, and bovine traffic crossing the River Liffey from Capel Street. The building of Parliament Street and the Royal Exchange (now Dublin City Hall), to create a vista from across the river Liffey on Capel Street, soon followed. [5]

Other major initiatives, under the then Chief Commissioner John Beresford, included the effort to merge and widen several narrow streets into one new street on Dublin's northside, creating Sackville Street (now called O'Connell Street). The main north–south axis of the city was thus moved from Capel Street and Parliament Street to the new thoroughfare further east.

The widening of Dame Street, between Cork Hill and College Green was the second great initiative of the commission. This work was initiated in 1777, but it was not until 1782 that the first new building was built at Palace Street. Christchurch and George's Street are also the result of the project of widening Georgian Dublin's congested streets. North Frederick Street was created from 1789 linking Sackville Street and Dorset Street.

Between 1785 and 1790 further phases of the Dame Street project was undertaken between George's Lane and Trinity Street. Drawings exist dated 1832 for the buildings between Fownes Street and Temple Lane.[ citation needed ]

Westmoreland Street (90 feet wide), and D'Olier Street (90 feet wide and designed by Henry Aaron Baker) [6] and part of Burgh Quay (1806) including the new Corn Exchange, formed part of the work of the commission. [7] Originally many of the new houses had 15 feet high granite shop fronts at street level which were divided into three bays, a narrow bay at each side, incorporating a door, and a wide bay at the middle of the facade for the display of goods. Many of these shopfronts still remain on the west side of d'Olier Street. [8]

Many of the Wide Street Commission buildings can be seen today on streets with granite shopfronts at ground floor level and brick facades above. They are generally streets with standardised house designs such as Burgh Quay.

Wellington Quay - with its arcaded shop fronts - and Merchants Arch are also part of the commission's work, as are Eden Quay, Lower Abbey Street, Bachelor's Walk, and Beresford Place.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Connell Street</span> Key street of Dublin, Ireland

O'Connell Street is a street in the centre of Dublin, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections bisected by Henry Street. The Luas tram system runs along the street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgian Dublin</span> Period in Dublin c1714–1830 used to describe areas of the city

Georgian Dublin is a phrase used in terms of the history of Dublin that has two interwoven meanings:

  1. to describe a historic period in the development of the city of Dublin, Ireland, from 1714 to the death in 1830 of King George IV. During this period, the reign of the four Georges, hence the word Georgian, covers a particular and unified style, derived from Palladian Architecture, which was used in erecting public and private buildings
  2. to describe the modern day surviving buildings in Dublin erected in that period and which share that architectural style
<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Custom House</span> Government building in Dublin, Ireland

The Custom House is a neoclassical 18th century building in Dublin, Ireland which houses the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is located on the north bank of the River Liffey, on Custom House Quay between Butt Bridge and Talbot Memorial Bridge.

The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside – with remains from all eras since the Stone Age abounding. Ireland is famous for its ruined and intact Norman and Anglo-Irish castles, small whitewashed thatched cottages and Georgian urban buildings. What are unaccountably somewhat less famous are the still complete Palladian and Rococo country houses which can be favourably compared to anything similar in northern Europe, and the country's many Gothic and neo-Gothic cathedrals and buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Gandon</span> British architect

James Gandon was an English architect best known for his work in Ireland during the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House and the surrounding Beresford Place, the Four Courts and the King's Inns in Dublin and Emo Court in County Laois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grattan Bridge</span> Bridge over the River Liffey in Ireland

Grattan Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, and joining Capel Street to Parliament Street and the south quays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Connell Bridge</span> Bridge over the River Liffey in Ireland

O'Connell Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, which joins O'Connell Street to D'Olier Street, Westmoreland Street and the south quays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Donovan Rossa Bridge</span> Bridge over the River Liffey in Ireland

O'Donovan Rossa Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, which joins Winetavern Street to Chancery Place and the north quays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Father Mathew Bridge</span> Bridge over the River Liffey in Ireland

Father Mathew Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, which joins Merchants Quay to Church Street and the north quays. It occupies the approximate site of the original, and for many years the only, Bridge of Dublin, dating back to the 11th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streets and squares in Dublin</span>

This article deals with the streets and squares in Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georges Quay</span> Street in Dublin, Ireland

George's Quay is a street and quay in Dublin on the southern bank of the River Liffey. It is located between Burgh Quay and Hawkins Street to the west, and City Quay and Talbot Memorial Bridge to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britain Quay</span> Street and quay in Dublin, Ireland

Britain Quay is a street and quay in Dublin on the south bank of the River Liffey between Sir John Rogerson's Quay and the confluence of the River Liffey, River Dodder and Grand Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Olier Street</span>

D'Olier Street is a street in the southern city-centre of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It and Westmoreland Street are two broad streets whose northern ends meet at the southern end of O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffey. Its southern end meets Fleet Street, Townsend Street, College Street and Pearse Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin quays</span> Quays along the River Liffey in Ireland

The Dublin quays refers to the two roadways and quays that run along the north and south banks of the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland. The stretches of the two continuous streets have several different names. However, all but two of the names share the same "quay" designation. The quays have played an important part in Dublin's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawkins Street</span> Street in Dublin, Ireland

Hawkins Street is a street in central Dublin, Ireland. It runs south from Rosie Hackett Bridge, at its junction with Burgh Quay, for 160 metres (170 yd) to a crossroads with Townsend Street, where it continues as College Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merchants' Hall</span> Former guildhall in Dublin, Ireland

Merchants' Hall is a former 19th century guildhall, now a protected structure, on Wellington Quay in Dublin, Ireland. It is located opposite the Ha'penny Bridge and backs on to Temple Bar. The building was the last of the city guildhalls to be constructed and only operated as a guildhall for a period of 20 years before ceasing as the Merchants' Guild ended its main work, along with the other Guilds of the City of Dublin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone House, Dublin</span> Georgian house in Dublin, Ireland

Tyrone House is a Georgian mansion townhouse built for Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone in 1740. It was constructed on lands bordering Marlborough Street in what was to become a fashionable part of North Dublin city off Sackville Street. It was the first substantial aristocratic house built on the North side of Dublin city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament Street, Dublin</span> Street in Dublin, Ireland

Parliament Street is a street located on Dublin's Southside. It runs from the junction of Dame Street and Cork Hill on its southern end to the junction of Essex Quay and Wellington Quay on its northern end where it joins directly onto Grattan Bridge and subsequently Capel Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunlight Chambers, Dublin</span> Italianate style office building in Dublin, Ireland

Sunlight Chambers is a commercial office building on the corner of Parliament Street and Essex Quay in the Temple Bar area of ​​Dublin. It was designed by architect Edward Ould in an Italianate style and was named after Lever Brothers' Sunlight detergent brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Old Custom House, Dublin</span> Former customs house building in Dublin, Ireland (1707–1815)

The Custom House was a large brick and limestone building located at present day Wellington Quay in Dublin, Ireland which operated as a custom house and oversaw the functions associated with the import and export of goods into and out of Dublin from 1707 until 1791. It also served as the headquarters of the Revenue Commissioners, as a meeting place and offices for the Wide Streets Commission and was said to be Dublin's first dedicated office building.

References

  1. ↑ Sheridan, Edel (2001). "Designing the Capital City". In Brady, Joseph; Simms, Anngret (eds.). Dublin Through Space & Time. Four Courts Press. p.  112. ISBN   978-1-85182-641-4.
  2. ↑ de Courcy, J.W. (1996) The Liffey in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland: Gill & Macmillan, ISBN   0-7171-2423-1
  3. ↑ "The Dublin Paving Board: bringing order to 18th-century Dublin's streets". Engineers Journal. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  4. ↑ Nevin, Seamus (2012). "History Repeating: Georgian Ireland's Property Bubble". History Ireland. 20 (1): 22–24. JSTOR   41331440.
  5. ↑ Dublincastle.ie — History — Creation of Parliament Street for access
  6. ↑ Archiseek - Baker, Henry Aaron (1753-1836)
  7. ↑ Archiseek - Development of Dublin City
  8. ↑ "Google Maps - 53.3464148,-6.2581079".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.