Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect and draughtsman, of London, for whom see Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (1st edn., 1954), 699. Samuel Woolley was a pupil of ROBERT WILLIAM FURZE BRETTINGHAM ROBERT WILLIAM FURZE BRETTINGHAM , who designed the enlargement of  Hillsborough House, Co. Down, for the second Marquess of Downshire in the mid-1790s and also prepared a scheme for refitting the choir of Downpatrick Cathedral in the same period.  Could Woolley have visited Ireland as Brettingham's assistant?  At the Royal Academy In 1798 he exhibited a drawing of Downpatrick Cathedral 'as restored'  as well as a drawing of Gandon's  recently completed House of Lords portico in Dublin.(1)   The Hon. Desmond Guinness has a fine watercolour perspective of an elaborate Adamesque gateway, signed by Woolley and dated 1796,(2) which came from Glananea, Co. Wesmeath, where the gateway was actually erected.   On the evidence of this drawing, the gates and even the house at Glananea have been attributed to Woolley,(2) though the possibility that the view was of another architect's work (as in the case of the House of Lords drawing) cannot be ruled out.   A copy of the same drawing is among the Forde papers at Seaforde, Co. Down.(4)

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References



(1) Nos. 930 and 1016. The House of Lords drawing is now in the National Gallery of Ireland (No. 2652).
(2) Repr. in Desmond Guinness & William Ryan, Irish houses & castles (Irish Georgian Society, 1971), 20.
(3) e.g. in Maurice Craig & the Knight of Glin, Ireland Observed (1970), 57, and  Christine Casey & Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster (1993), 300-301.
(4) Repr. J.A.K. Dean, The Gate Lodges of Ulster: a gazetteer (UAHS, 1994), 93.  Ralph Smyth of Glananea had Co. Down connections through his wife, Jane, a daughter and co-heiress of Anthony Walsh of Grange Cairn, Co. Down.


1 work entries listed in chronological order for WOOLLEY, SAMUEL #


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Building: CO. WESTMEATH, GLANANEA
Date: 1796ca
Nature: Design of gates and possibly house attr. to SW on basis of s. & d. perspective in collection of Desmond Guinness. Gates later moved to Rosmead, Co. Westmeath. For Ralph Smyth. Coade stone keystone of gate dated 179(5?).
Refs: Watercolour perspective, s. & d. 1796, in collection of Desmond Guinness, Leixlip Castle (repr. Desmond Guinness & William Ryan, Irish houses & castles (Irish Georgian Society, 1971), 20);  Christine Casey & Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster (1993), 300-301;  Mark Bence-Jones,  Burke’s Guide to Country Houses. Volume I, Ireland. (London, 1978), 134(illus.);  Alison Kelly, Mrs Coade's Stone(1990), 437.