The Custom House, Limerick

Last updated
The Custom House
Hunt Mus.jpg
Building façade
Ireland adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
General information
StatusMuseum
TypeHouse
Architectural style Palladian
Town or city Limerick
CountryIreland
Coordinates 52°39′59″N8°37′27″W / 52.6664°N 8.6242°W / 52.6664; -8.6242
Groundbreaking1765
Estimated completion1769
Cost£8,000
Technical details
Material limestone
Floor count3 over basement
Design and construction
Architect(s) Davis Ducart
Developer Edmund Pery, 1st Earl of Limerick
Main contractorChristopher Colles (Superintendent), Thomas Mark (contractor)
Custom house at night. Custom house at Night.JPG
Custom house at night.
An illustration of the building from John Ferrar's, A history of the city of Limerick (1767). The Custom House, Limerick.jpg
An illustration of the building from John Ferrar’s, A history of the city of Limerick (1767).

The Custom House is a Georgian-Palladian former custom house building in Limerick, Ireland. The building was constructed in local Irish limestone between 1765 and 1769 to a design by architect Davis Ducart.

As of 2023, the building houses the Hunt Museum.

History

The site of the building was leased from merchant and Alderman, John Vincent by the Commissioners of Revenue under the direction of Edmund Pery, 1st Viscount Pery. The 1758 lease granted John Vincent the right to charge quayage to merchants' boats using the docks alongside the customs house. [1]

The building was constructed by Christopher Colles as superintendent with the aid of contractor Thomas Mark to a design by the Italian architect Davis Ducart. [2] The foundation stone was laid on 9 June 1765 and it is estimated that the complex cost about £8,000. [3] [4] [5]

About half of the initial building was designed for residential use, with the arcaded wings designed for use by merchants and ships captains and clerks. One of the first collectors of revenue in the new building was Caleb Powell.

In 1783, Thomas Mark is recorded as erecting an additional building in matching limestone on the South side of the custom house yard while in 1824, James Pain is recorded as opening a new excise office within the grounds.

Later in 1807, a Board of Customs for Ireland was established and in 1823 this amalgamated with the Board of Customs for England and Wales and the Board of Customs for Scotland to create a single board across Britain and Ireland to which the local Customs office reported. The office's main responsibilities at that point became collecting taxes and customs revenue at its own port and to a lesser extent other work such as preventing smuggling.

In 1832, an attempt was made to blow up the Custom House with dynamite however the plans were foiled before any explosion could take place. [6]

In A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, published by Samuel Lewis in 1837, the building is described as "a centre and two wings, built with hewn stone and handsomely ornamented". [7]

In the 1840s, a post office was opened in the building and later from 1860, it was used partially as a probate court. [8]

The building was still used by the Customs and Excise service until 1993. [9]

The Office of Public Works restored and refurbished the building in 1996 and it was reopened as the Hunt Museum on 14 February 1997. [10]

Related Research Articles

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Customs and Excise</span> Former British government department

HM Customs and Excise was a department of the British Government formed in 1909 by the merger of HM Customs and HM Excise; its primary responsibility was the collection of customs duties, excise duties, and other indirect taxes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunt Museum</span> Museum of art and antiquities in Limerick City, Ireland

The Hunt Museum is a museum in the city of Limerick, Ireland. The Hunt Museum holds a personal collection donated by the Hunt family, it was originally situated in the University of Limerick, before being moved to its present location in Limerick's Georgian custom house in 1997. The Custom House is situated on Rutland Street on the banks of the River Shannon at its confluence with the Abbey River. Among the museum's collection are works by notable artists and designers such as Pablo Picasso, Jack B. Yeats, and Sybil Connolly as well as distinctive historical items such as the O'Dea Mitre and Crozier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Limerick</span> History of the City in Munster, Ireland

The history of Limerick stretches back to its establishment by Vikings as a walled city on King's Island in 812, and to the granting of Limerick's city charter in 1197.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Island, Limerick</span> Island in Ireland

King's Island is an area of central Limerick, Ireland. The area is often referred to colloquially as The Island and consists of two distinct areas, Englishtown and St Mary's Park. The historical city of Limerick known as Englishtown is located on the southern end and St Mary's Park; a local authority housing estate is located on the northern end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Limerick</span>

As with other cities in Ireland, Limerick has a history of great architecture. A 1574 document prepared for the Spanish ambassador attests to its wealth and fine architecture:

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">Customs House, Sydney</span> Government administration:, in New South Wales, Australia

Customs House, Sydney is a heritage-listed museum space, visitor attraction, commercial building and performance space located in the Circular Quay area at 45 Alfred Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The building served as a customs house prior to Federation and then as the head office of New South Wales operations of the Government of Australia agency Department of Trade and Customs (and its successors) until 1988. The customs function relocated to a new site in 1990. The initial designs were by Mortimer Lewis and it was built during 1845 by under the administration of Governor Sir George Gipps. It is also known as Customs House (former) and Site of former Customs House. The site was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004; and to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Customs</span> Former customs department of the UK

HM Customs was the national Customs service of England until a merger with the Department of Excise in 1909. The phrase 'HM Customs', in use since the Middle Ages, referred both to the customs dues themselves and to the office of state established for their collection, assessment and administration.

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

O'Connell Street is the main thoroughfare of the city of Limerick. It was previously known as George's Street until it was renamed after Daniel O'Connell. The street runs in parallel to the River Shannon and forms part of an overall thoroughfare, along with Rutland Street and Patrick Street, that bisects Limerick City Centre in a north east to south west direction. The street is about a mile in length, starting at the Arthurs Quay / Denmark Street junction and ending at The Crescent. A monument to Daniel O'Connell stands at the centre of The Crescent overlooking O'Connell Street. The street is noted for its Georgian architectural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Excise</span> One of the predecessors of HM Revenue and Customs (1643–1909)

His or Her Majesty's Excise refers to 'inland' duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture. Excise duty was first raised in England in 1643. Like HM Customs, the Excise was administered by a Board of Commissioners who were accountable to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. While 'HM Revenue of Excise' was a phrase used in early legislation to refer to this form of duty, the body tasked with its collection and general administration was usually known as the Excise Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmund Pery, 1st Viscount Pery</span> Anglo-Irish politician

Edmund Sexton Pery, 1st Viscount Pery was an Anglo-Irish politician who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons between 1771 and 1785.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limerick Museum</span> Municipal museum in Limerick City, Ireland

Limerick Museum, previously known as the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum, is a city museum in Limerick, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limerick City Gallery of Art</span> Art museum in Limerick City, Ireland

Limerick City Gallery of Art is an art museum in the city of Limerick, Ireland. It is run by Limerick City Council and is located in Pery Square, in the Newtown Pery area of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newtown Pery, Limerick</span> Neighbourhood of Limerick, Ireland

Newtown Pery is an area of central Limerick, Ireland, and forms the main city centre of the city. The district is known for its Georgian architectural heritage and is the core area of Limerick's Georgian Quarter. It is one of the three towns that make up modern-day Limerick City Centre, the other two being the older Englishtown and Irishtown, which date from the medieval period. Newtown Pery houses the largest collection of Georgian townhouses in Ireland outside of Dublin. In 1837, Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Newtown Pery as "one of the handsomest towns in Ireland".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pery Square</span> Georgian square in Limerick, Ireland

Pery Square is a Georgian Terrace located in the Newtown Pery area of Limerick city, Ireland. The terrace was constructed as a speculative development by the Pery Square Tontine Company between 1835 and 1838. The square was named in honour of the politician Edmund Sexton Pery. The terrace is notable as one of the finest examples of late Georgian architecture in Limerick and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland Street, Limerick</span> Street in central Limerick, Ireland

Rutland Street is a street in central Limerick, Ireland that forms part of the main central thoroughfare of the city which incorporates Rutland Street, Patrick Street and O'Connell Street. Named after the 4th Duke of Rutland, Charles Manners, who was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1784 and visited Limerick in 1785. Rutland Street along with nearby Bank Place features some of Limerick's earliest examples of Georgian Architecture. It was the first street developed as part of Edmund Sexton Pery's plans for Newtown Pery, and was the first part of the great Georgian expansion of Limerick south from the medieval city. In 1901, Irish nationalists suggested renaming the street to Hugh O'Neill Street.

Davis Ducart, was an architect and engineer in Ireland in the 1760s and 1770s. He designed several large buildings and engineering projects. He had associations with the canal builders of the time and the mining industry and worked on many projects in the County Tyrone coalfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Custom House, Cork</span> Municipal building in Cork, Ireland

The Custom House is an early 19th-century building in Cork, Ireland. Originally developed as a custom house and opened in 1818, the Cork Harbour Commissioners took over the building in 1904. The Port of Cork Company vacated the building in early 2021. The Custom House is, together with a number of other buildings on the same site, listed by Cork City Council on its Record of Protected Structures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Old Custom House, Dublin</span> 1707 building in Dublin, Ireland

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, hosting officials overseeing 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. "Vincent Family history" (PDF). limerickcity.ie. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  2. "CO. LIMERICK, LIMERICK, CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY, CUSTOM HOUSE Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  3. "1769 – Hunt Museum (former Custom House), Limerick | Archiseek - Irish Architecture". 11 November 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. Ferrar, John (1767). "An history of the city of Limerick [by J. Ferrar]" . Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  5. "Classic Georgian with a Limerick twist". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. "Intended Destruction of the Limerick Custom House". The Portland Guardian. Victoria, Australia. 4 March 1882. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. "Limerick Markets - Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  8. "The Hunt Museum, Custom House Quay, Rutland Street, LIMERICK MUNICIPAL BOROUGH, Limerick, LIMERICK". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  9. "Hunt Museum, Limerick | Projects | ACP Group". Architectural Conservation Professionals. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  10. "Our Building: The Hunt Museum". The Hunt Museum. Retrieved 13 September 2023.