Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English architect, for full biography and works of whom see Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008), 602-606. During the late 1750s Henry Keene and JOHN SANDERSON  JOHN SANDERSON made the working drawings for the west front of Trinity College, Dublin, which had been designed by THEODORE JACOBSON THEODORE JACOBSON . Keene may also have been involved in the design of the Trinity provost's house in the early 1760s.(1)

In 1762 the Lord Lieutenant, George Montagu, Earl of Halifax, appointed Keene Architect to the Barrack Board. During the four years he held the post, Keene designed Palatine Square in the Royal Barracks in Dublin.(2) He was largely absent in England; his non-attendance at meetings is mentioned in the Journal of the House of Commons of the Kingdom of Ireland.(3) Keene resigned from the post in 1766, when he was succeeded by CHRISTOPHER MYERS. CHRISTOPHER MYERS. (4) He is referred to as overseer of the wet dock and piers at Warrenpoint, Co. Down, in about 1771.(4)

See WORKS, for Irish work only.



References

All information in this entry unless otherwise stated is from Colvin, loc. cit., above. Portraits of Keene and his wife, Anne Martha, which were acquired for Trinity College, Dublin, in the 1990s are in the Provost's House.   Keene's family bible, which records births and deaths in the Keene and Parry families is in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, and a family tree is in the possession of Richard Austin, Great Malvern, a direct descendant (photocopies in IAA, Jones file K10 ).


(1) See E. McParland, 'An Academic Palazzo in Ireland- the Provost's House, Trinity College, Dublin - I'', Country Life 160, 14 Oct 1976, 1035-6.
(2) For a more detailed account of Keene's tenure of the post, see F. O'Dwyer, 'Building empires: architecture, politics and the Board of Works 1760-1860', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies 5 (2002), 113ff.
(3) Vol. VI, appendix, p.lxxx (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(4) Freeman's Journal, 21-24 Jun 1766 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(5) JHCI 11(?), cclxxxiii (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).


3 work entries listed in chronological order for KEENE, HENRY #


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, COLLEGE GREEN, TRINITY COLLEGE, WEST FRONT & PARLIAMENT SQUARE
Date: 1752-1759
Nature: Designed by Theodore Jacobsen. HK and John Sanderson paid £74.11s.8d. for making working drawings..
Refs: TCD muniments, MUN/P/2/98; E. McParland, 'Trinity College, Dublin - II', Country Life 159, 13 May 1976, 1244-5;  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008), 900;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 391-2,396.Pl.31.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, COLLEGE GREEN, TRINITY COLLEGE, PROVOST'S HOUSE
Date: 1759
Nature: Payment to 'Keen' of £108.6s.8d. recorded 1764 may refer to Provost's House.
Refs: See E. McParland, 'An Academic Palazzo in Ireland- the Provost's House, Trinity College, Dublin - I'', Country Life 160, 14 Oct 1976, 1035-6;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 395-6.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, BENBURB STREET, COLLINS BARRACKS (FORMERLY ROYAL BARRACKS)
Date: 1766-1771
Nature: Rebuilding of Palatine Square for the Barrack Board..
Refs: Frederick O’Dwyer, ‘Architecture, Politics and the Board of Works, 1760-1860’,  Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies 5 (2002), 114-121;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 248.