Newcomen Bank
| Newcomen Bank | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Office |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Georgian Neoclassical |
| Town or city | Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°20′38″N 6°16′04″W / 53.3438702°N 6.2677291°W |
| Estimated completion | 1781 |
| Owner | Dublin City Council |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Portland stone |
| Floor count | 5 over basement |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Ivory and James Hoban (1781), William Caldbeck (1856-62) |
| Developer | Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet |
Newcomen Bank is a former Georgian bank building and private residence on the junction of Cork Hill, Lord Edward Street and Castle Street, designed by architect Thomas Ivory in 1781 with the assistance of James Hoban.[1][2]
The building was constructed and named for the Newcomen family.
History
The banking business was established in 1745 and after the business collapsed in 1825, the building was later acquired by the Hibernian bank. The Hibernian bank was itself taken over by the Bank of Ireland in 1958.[3][4][5][6]
Following the collapse of Newcomen bank and several other banks in the city in the 1820s, the Newcomen family and several other prominent families were financially ruined leading to Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen, 2nd Viscount Newcomen shooting himself in his office either at the bank or at his residence at Killester House on 15 January 1825.[7][8]
Building
The building was constructed as a private residence in a neo-classical Georgian style in 1781 and faced in white portland stone. It was located opposite some of Dublin's most notable buildings including the Royal Exchange, Dublin Castle, La Touche Bank (1730s - 1946) and Burton's Bank in what was then a prestigious location.[9][10]
Some of the interior stucco work was carried out by Vincent Waldré while the sculptor Simon Vierpyl was also involved in completing elements of the friezes throughout the building.
Further works were later carried out by William Caldbeck at the bank between 1856-62 doubling the Cork Hill bowed frontage and adding an Ionic portico also in matching portland stone.[11]
The northern end gable was added by Dublin Corporation architect Daniel J Freeman in 1884.
The bank was acquired by Dublin Corporation in 1886 and was later usually referred to as the rates office.[12] It remained in use as the rates office until the early 2000s.
As of 2023, it is planned to restore the building for use as a multipurpose events and conferencing space.[13][14]
External links
- UCD Library image
- National Gallery image of La Touche Bank and Newcomen Bank
- Image of the Glendower, Newcomen & Company bank from the White House Historical Association
- Image from the Royal Institute of British Architects
- Image from the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland collection
References
- ^ "CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE STREET, NO. 016 (NEWCOMEN'S BANK) Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Dublin City Council, 16 Cork Hill, Castle Street/Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE STREET, NO. 016 (HIBERNIAN BANK, FORMERLY NEWCOMEN'S BANK) Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Dublin City Architects Blog — THE FORMER NEWCOMEN BANK (Dublin City Council Rates Office)". Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "JOURNAL ARTICLE Wildcat bankers or political failure? The Irish financial pantomime, 1797–1826". academic.oup.com. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Barrow, G. L. (1972). "Some Dublin Private Banks". Dublin Historical Record. pp. 38–53. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ Dungan, Myles (15 January 2016). "On This Day – Drivetime – 15.1.1825 Suicide of banker Thomas Newcomen". Myles Dungan. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "The lonely Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen". Come Here To Me!. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Dublin City Architects Blog — THE FORMER NEWCOMEN BANK (Dublin City Council Rates Office)". Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "1730s – La Touche Bank, Cork Hill, Dublin | Archiseek - Irish Architecture". 9 June 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Dublin City Council, 16 Cork Hill, Castle Street/Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Plans for €9m redevelopment of historic Newcomen Bank in Dublin". Independent.ie. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Newcomen Bank | Dublin City Council". www.dublincity.ie. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Howley Hayes Cooney". www.hhcarchitecture.ie. Retrieved 24 October 2023.