Frederick Clarendon
Encyclopedia
Frederick Villiers Clarendon (c.1820 – 17 October 1904) was an Irish
Architect
noted for his design work on a number of large public buildings in Dublin, including the Natural History Museum
and Arbour Hill Prison
.
in 1839. Directly after graduation he was employed by the Office of Public Works
, where he would remain until his retirement in 1887. Clarendon died in Mountjoy Square, Dublin in 1904.
with Clarendon acting as executive architect, and Clarendon was also co-designer of the "Criminal Lunatic Asylum" in Dundrum
two years later. Clarendon oversaw the renovation and extension of the Royal Irish Academy
's premises on Dawson Street
between 1852 and 1854, as their existing Grafton Street location had become overcrowded.
Clarendon's most remembered work is Ireland's Natural History Museum
on Merrion Street
adjacent to Leinster House
, known as the "Dead Zoo". The Royal Dublin Society
had been obliged to use a public architect in order to obtain treasury funding, and the building was taken over by the State in 1877. Today the Museum forms part of the National Museum of Ireland
. Clarendon provided his services free of charge to design the Mariners Hall, Howth
in 1867. This then served as a Presbyterian Meeting House for over thirty years, services being conducted through the medium of Scottish Gaelic, the language of the immigrant seasonal fishermen of the village.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
noted for his design work on a number of large public buildings in Dublin, including the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum (Ireland)
Ireland's Natural History Museum , often called the Dead Zoo a branch of the National Museum of Ireland, is housed on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland...
and Arbour Hill Prison
Arbour Hill Prison
Arbour Hill Prison is a prison and military cemetery located in the Arbour Hill area near Heuston Station in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The prison is the national centre for male sex offenders.-Architecture:...
.
Life
Frederick Clarendon was born in Dublin around 1820 and received a Bachelor of Arts at Dublin UniversityTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1839. Directly after graduation he was employed by the Office of Public Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
, where he would remain until his retirement in 1887. Clarendon died in Mountjoy Square, Dublin in 1904.
Works
Clarendon's earliest major works focussed on Dublin's prison system. Arbour Hill Prison was redesigned in 1845 by Sir. Joshua JebbJoshua Jebb
Sir Joshua Jebb was a Royal Engineer and the British Surveyor-General of convict prisons.He participated in the Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain during the War of 1812, and surveyed a route between Ottawa River and Kingston where Lake Ontario flows into Saint Lawrence River...
with Clarendon acting as executive architect, and Clarendon was also co-designer of the "Criminal Lunatic Asylum" in Dundrum
Dundrum, Dublin
Dundrum , originally a town in its own right, is now a suburb of Dublin in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland.The area is located in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and Dublin 16.-History:...
two years later. Clarendon oversaw the renovation and extension of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
's premises on Dawson Street
Dawson Street
Dawson Street is one of the main streets of central Dublin, running parallel to Grafton Street, to which it is connected by Duke Street and South Anne Street...
between 1852 and 1854, as their existing Grafton Street location had become overcrowded.
Clarendon's most remembered work is Ireland's Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum (Ireland)
Ireland's Natural History Museum , often called the Dead Zoo a branch of the National Museum of Ireland, is housed on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland...
on Merrion Street
Merrion Street
Merrion Street is a major Georgian street on the southside of Dublin, Ireland which runs along one side of Merrion Square. The garden entrance of Leinster House is located on the street, as is Irish Government Buildings, formerly the Royal College of Science for Ireland...
adjacent to Leinster House
Leinster House
Leinster House is the name of the building housing the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland.Leinster House was originally the ducal palace of the Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it is a complex of buildings, of which the former ducal palace is the core, which house Oireachtas Éireann, its...
, known as the "Dead Zoo". The Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
had been obliged to use a public architect in order to obtain treasury funding, and the building was taken over by the State in 1877. Today the Museum forms part of the National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
. Clarendon provided his services free of charge to design the Mariners Hall, Howth
Howth
Howth is an area in Fingal County near Dublin city in Ireland. Originally just a small fishing village, Howth with its surrounding rural district is now a busy suburb of Dublin, with a mix of dense residential development and wild hillside, all on the peninsula of Howth Head. The only...
in 1867. This then served as a Presbyterian Meeting House for over thirty years, services being conducted through the medium of Scottish Gaelic, the language of the immigrant seasonal fishermen of the village.