Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English architect, for biography of whom see Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008), 728-737, and John Summerson, The Life and Works of John Nash (1980). Nash had many clients in Ireland. His Irish works include: Killymoon Castle, Co. Tyrone, for Col. William Stewart, circa 1801-1803, Lissan rectory, for the Rev. John Staples, 1807, Kilwaughter Castle, Co. Antrim, for E.J. Agnew, 1807, alterations and additions at Caledon, Co. Tyrone, for the 2nd Earl of Caledon, 1808-10, Rockingham House, for 1st Viscount Lorton, 1809-10, Lough Cutra Castle, Co. Galway, for the Hon. Charles Vereker, 1811, St Paul's Church of Ireland church, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, 1816-18,(1) Shane's Castle, Co. Antrim, for 2nd Viscount O'Neill, after 1816 (only partially completed), Gracefield Lodge, Co. Laois, for Mrs Kavanagh, 1817, Shanbally Castle, Co. Tipperary, for 1st Viscount Lismore, completed 1819 and Derryloran CI church at Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, circa 1822. The enlargement of Tynan Abbey, Co. Armagh, for Sir James Stronge, of circa 1820 has also been attributed to Nash.

See WORKS, for Irish work only.



References



(1) Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 200-201.


28 work entries listed in chronological order for NASH, JOHN


Sort by date | Sort alphabetically


Building: CO. CORK?, ?, HOUSE FOR THE COUNTESS OF SHANNON
Date: 1796p
Nature: Set of 7 drawings for 'a house to be built in Ireland for the Countess of Shannon' one of which is on paper watermarked 1796.
Refs: See Jill Lever, ed., Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects L-N (1973), 111; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 115(illus.)

Building: CO. TYRONE, KILLYMOON CASTLE
Date: 1801-1803ca
Nature: Norman-style castle, for James Stewart.
Refs: Exh. RA 1803 (nos. 908,942; design in sketchbook kept by G.S. Repton when he was in Nash's office in RIBA drawings collection, see Jill Lever, ed., Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects L-N (1973), 110; undated ground-floor plan (from Nash's office?)' in NLI AD 3536;  Irish Penny Journal 1, 10 Apr 1841, 321-2;  Terence Davis & John Summerson, The Architecture of John Nash (London, 1960), 23;  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 734; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 336; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 104(illus.); Mary Cecilia Lyons, Illustrated Incumbered Estates Ireland, 1850-1905 (1993), 8(illus.)

Building: CO. ANTRIM, KILWAUGHTER CASTLE
Date: 1806-07ca
Nature: New castellated mansion incorporating part of 17th century castle in W wing, for Edward Jones Agnew. (Dismantled 1951.)
Refs: E.M. Jope, 'Lissan Rectory, Kilwaughter Castle, and the buildings in the north of Ireland by John Nash', Ulster Journal of Archaeology 19 (1956), 124-130; Terence Davis, The Architecture of John Nash [1960], 23; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991),138-9(illus.)

Building: CO. DERRY, LISSAN RECTORY
Date: 1807
Nature: Picturesque Italianate villa, for Rev. John Molesworth Staples (nephew, by marriage, of James Staples of Killymoon). OS memoirs say cost was £6000 'supplied from rector's private fortune and resources' but Lewis says cost was only £1,313.14s.5d.
Refs: Design in sketchbook kept by G.S. Repton when he was in Nash's office in RIBA drawings collection, see Jill Lever, ed., Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects L-N (1973), 110;  Angélique Day & Patrick McWilliams, eds. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol. 20: Parishes of Co. Tyrone 2 (1993);  Samuel Lewis, A Topographical dictionary of Ireland (1837) II, 287;  J.B. Leslie, Armagh Clergy & Parishes  (1911), 350;  E.M. Jope, 'Lissan Rectory, Kilwaughter Castle, and the buildings in the north of Ireland by John Nash', Ulster Journal of Archaeology 19 (1956), 122-125;  Terence Davis & John Summerson, The Architecture of John Nash (London, 1960), 71;  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 735; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 362-3; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 136-7(illus.).

Building: CO. TYRONE, CALEDON HOUSE
Date: 1807-10;1815;1830ca
Nature: Alts. (screen of columns on N front and terminal pavilions) for 2nd Earl of Caledon. Also gate lodges. 1815, and c.1830.  For 2nd Earl of Caledon.
Refs: Caledon estate papers, PRONI D2433/10; payments to Nash, 1807-1809, recorded in Ledger of 1st & 2nd Earls of Caledon, PRONI, D2433/A/4/12/1 (see PRONI E-catalogue, http://applications.proni.gov.uk/LL_DCAL_PRONI_ECATNI/ResultDetails.aspx , last visited Nov 2011);   Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (3rd edn., 1995), 693; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 162; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 146-7(illus.)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PHOENIX PARK, VICE-REGAL LODGE
Date: 1808
Nature: Design of entrance lodges attr. to JN by J.A.K. Dean on basis of close similarity to gate-lodges at Caledon, Co. Tyrone.  For 4th Duke of Richmond.
Refs: Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008) , 735.


Building: CO. TYRONE, CALEDON, CHURCH OF ST JOHN (CI)
Date: 1808
Nature: Addition of timber spire for 2nd Earl of Caledon 'by means of a request from his late father'(Lewis). , Replaced by stone facsimile in 1830.
Refs: PRONI D2433/10 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); J.B. Leslie, Armagh Clergy & Parishes  (1911), 152-4;  Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 159; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 144(illus.).

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, ROCKINGHAM (BOYLE)
Date: 1809-1810;1822
Nature: Classical, for 1st Viscount Lorton. Added extra storey 1822.  Gothic chapel, lakeside gazebo, Castle Island folly 'locally attributed to Nash' (Mansbridge). (House destroyed by fire, 1957; ruin demolished Sep 1971.)
Refs: Elevations and plans by John Nash in collection of Lady Joan Dunn, 2009 (photographs in IAA);  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 735-6, citing building accounts in NLI, MS 3755 (or 3775?) and James Bettley, 'Vignettes of a vanished house', Country Life 184, 17 Nov 1988, 116-117; NLI, MS 3776 for payment to Nash of £5,706-12s in period 1809-1812 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 164-5(illus.); F. O'Dwyer, '"A Noble Pile in the late Tudor Style": Mitchelstown Castle', Irish Arts Review 18 (2002), 32

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, CAHIR, SWISS COTTAGE
Date: 1810-14
Nature: Cottage orné attr. to JN by Mansbridge.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 174-5(illus.); see also David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 21-24

Building: CO. GALWAY, LOUGH CUTRA CASTLE
Date: 1811ca-1817
Nature: Castellated. For John Prendergast Smyth (created 1st Viscount Gort, 1816) and his heir Col. Charles Vereker (2nd Viscount Gort, 1817). Work supervised by J. & G.R. Pain.  According to article in Weekly Irish Times, 7 Sep 1901, building was commenced by John Prendergast Smyth: 'The story goes that being enchanted with East Cowes Cstle, in the Isle of Wight, which belonged to, and had been designed by, Mr Nash, Gort decided to erect a similar building on the shores of his beautiful lake.'
Refs: J.B. Burke, A Visitation of the seats and arms of the noblemen and gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd ser., 1855), II, 189-91; Weekly Irish Times, 7 Sep 1901;  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 736; Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 128; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 168-9(illus.); David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 12-14(illus.),57-58(illus.)

Building: CO. LIMERICK, LIMERICK, ST AUGUSTINE PLACE, CITY GAOL
Date: 1811p-1814
Nature: New gaol. Grand Jury presentment of £6123,4s.3d. at Spring Assizes, 18 Mar 1811. Plans 'perfected by Mr Nash, architect'. 'Forcing engine to supply water' installed, 13 Mar 1814, 'by Mr Paine, architect, the builder of the city gaol'. (i.e. clerk of works to Nash?)
Refs: M. Lenihan, Limerick; its history and antiquities (1866), 428n,431n; David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 17

Building: CO. DOWN, CRAWFORDSBURN HOUSE
Date: 1812ca
Nature: 2 storey gate lodge (Burn Lodge) with octagonal first floor. For John Crawford, uncle of 2nd Earl of Caledon.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 308-9(illus.); Marcus Patton, Bangor: an historical gazetteer (UAHS, 1999). 60(illus.),61

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, CAHIR, CHURCH OF ST PAUL (CI)
Date: 1816-18
Nature: Cruciform Gothic Revival church;  'the architect's best Gothic Revival church' (Scott Richardson).
Refs: S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), I, 239; Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 200-201 (ills.99-102); Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 216-7(illus.); David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 18-21

Building: CO. ANTRIM, SHANE'S CASTLE
Date: 1816ca
Nature: New house for 2nd Viscount O'Neill to replace one destroyed by fire, 1816. Only partially completed.
Refs: Pictorial elevation of house and conservatory in collection of Christopher Stephen Gaisford-St Lawrence, Howth Castle; Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 736 Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 180-181(illus.)

Building: CO. LAOIS, GRACEFIELD LODGE
Date: 1817
Nature: For Mrs Kavanagh. Executed by William Robertson of Kilkenny.
Refs: Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008), 736, citing J.N. Brewer, The Beauties of Ireland II (1826), 105; J.P. Neale, Views if Seats (1822), V, No. 72; S. Grace, Memoirs of the Family of Grace (1825), 52-3; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 210-211(illus.)

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, CAHIR, ERASMUS SMITH SCHOOL
Date: 1818
Nature: Design attr. To Nash by Summerson.
Refs: Letter from John Summerson to Joe Walsh, 24 Oct 1987, quoted in David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 21

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, SHANBALLY CASTLE
Date: 1819a
Nature: Castellated. Completed 1819 for 1st Viscount Lismore.. (Demolished 1957.)
Refs: Set of 8 drawings in RIBA drawings collection, see Jill Lever, ed., Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects L-N (1973), 110; pictorial elevations of entrance and garden fronts formerly at Fort William, Co. Waterford (photographs in IAA);  Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 736; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 218(illus.); David Lee & Debbie Jacobs, James Pain, architect (Limerick Civic Trust, 2005), 104-107(illus.)

Building: CO. ARMAGH, TYNAN ABBEY
Date: 1820ca
Nature: Attributed to JN on basis of photographs of destroyed drawings in Nash's hand (or signed by Augustus Charles Pugin, while a draughtsman in Nash's office?) in Architectural Survey of N. Ireland (copies in IAA, 018/145).. Tudor Gothic. Gothic. For Sir James Stronge, 2nd Bt.(.Later much altered by W.J. Barre and W.H. Lynn. Gutted by fire 1980.)
Refs: Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (3rd edn., 1995), 694; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 208(illus.); C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of Co. Armagh (UAHS, 1999), 89;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 568-9.

Building: CO. TYRONE, COOKSTOWN, CHURCH STREET, CHURCH OF ST LURAN (CI, DERRYLORAN PARISH)
Date: 1822
Nature: New church 'built of hewn freestone from a design by Mr Nash, in the early English style of architecture' (Lewis). Cost: £2769.4s.7½d. Consecrated 8 Aug 1822. (All but west end rebuilt 1859-1861).
Refs: S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), I, 395; J.B. Leslie, Armagh Clergy and Parishes (1911), 214; R.W. Oram & P.J. Rankin, Historic Buildings in…Dungannon & Cookstown (UAHS, 1971), 21(illus.), 29 (No. 49); Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 215; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 241(illus.) ;  illus. in Claude Costegalde & Brian Walker, The Church of Ireland: an illustrated history (2013), 122.

Building: CO. ARMAGH, WOODPARK LODGE
Date: 1830s
Nature: Alts. including canted bays, battlements and arcade attr. to Nash by T.G.F. Patterson.(Mansbridge)
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 315(illus.)

Building: CO. WATERFORD, TRAMORE, BRANCH ROAD, QUAKER MEETING HOUSE
Date: 1869
Nature: New Quaker meeting house hopened 1869.
Refs: D.M.Butler, The Quaker Meeting Houses of Ireland (2004), 122-3(illus.)

Building: CO. SLIGO, BALLINDOON (KINGSBOROUGH)
Date: ?
Nature: 'built for the King Harmons[sic] of Rockingham and...locally attributed to Nash'. Also stable block.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991),88-9(illus.)

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, ARDCARNE, CHURCH OF ST BEAIDH (CI)
Date: ?
Nature: 'According to local tradition' Nash involved in alts. to church while building Rockingham. Tower possibly designed by Nash as eyecatcher to be seen from Rockingham.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 166

Building: CO. DERRY, COLERAINE, SOMERSET HOUSE
Date: ?
Nature: Drawing for 'Mr Richardson, Somerset House nr Coleraine' in sale of Nash's drawings. Unexecuted proposal?
Refs: APSD, N, 15; Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 310

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, CASTLE LESLIE (GLASLOUGH)
Date: ?
Nature: Gateway and lodge 'considered to have been designed by Nash'.(Mansbridge).  According to Mulligan, both cottage orné gate lodge and Gothic gate lodge are by JN.  fOR cHARLES pOWELL lESLIE.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 314(illus.);  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 342-3.

Building: CO. TYRONE, COOKSTOWN, CHAPEL STREET, NO. 080-82
Date: ?
Nature: 'Local attributions give Nash as the architect'(Mansbrisge). Dower house for Stewarts of Killymoon.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 314(illus.)

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, FINAGHY HOUSE
Date: ?
Nature: Gate lodge attr. to JN by Mansbridge. Dean suggests it is a copy by Thomas Jacson of Nash's Oak Cottage, Blaise Hamlet, Glos.
Refs: Michael Mansbridge, John Nash (1991), 315(illus.);  J.A.K. Dean, The Gate Lodges of Ulster: a gazetteer (UAHS, 1994), 12(illus.)

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, MOUNTAIN LODGE [2]
Date: ?
Nature: Attributable to JN (O'Dwyer). Built as shooting lodge for Viscount Lismore of Shanbally Castle. Now a youth hostel.
Refs: Terry Trench, Fifty Years Young: the Story of An Oige (1981), 25(illus.); F. O'Dwyer, '"A Noble Pile in the late Tudor Style": Mitchelstown Castle', Irish Arts Review 18 (2002), 43n