Provost's House, Trinity College Dublin

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{{Use Irish English|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Provost's House

| native_name = Provost's House, Trinity College Dublin

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| image = Provost's House.jpg

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| caption = A view of the Provost's house from the college campus perimeter

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| building_type = University administrative building and dwelling house

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| location = 1 Grafton Street
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland

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| completion_date = 1759

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| references = {{cite web |title=Dictionary of Irish Architects |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/57470/building/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+COLLEGE+GREEN%2C+TRINITY+COLLEGE%2C+PROVOST%27S+HOUSE |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=14 May 2024}}

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File:Provost's house, Dublin LCCN2003671651.jpg

The Provost's House is a five-bay, two-storey house with seven-bay single-storey wings on each side, which dates from 1759 and was built for Provost Francis Andrews of Trinity College.{{cite web |title=1760 – Provost’s House, Trinity College Dublin |url=https://archiseek.com/2010/1760-provosts-house-trinity-college-dublin/ |website=Archiseek - Irish Architecture |accessdate=25 September 2020 |date=8 February 2010}}{{cite web |title=Provost's House |url=https://www.tcd.ie/disability/physical-access/Building-check/provost's-house.php |website=tcd.ie |accessdate=25 September 2020}}

Design

The designer is unknown but may have been the Dublin architect John Smyth. It has a Palladian design with a central Venetian window and doric pilasters and is similar to that built by Lord Burlington for General Wade (demolished in 1935) in London in 1723, who in turn largely copied a drawing by Andrea Palladio. Another version of the house existed in Potsdam.{{cite web |title=Provost's House, Grafton Street, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Dublin City |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50020381/provosts-house-grafton-street-trinity-college-dublin-2-dublin-city |website=Buildings of Ireland |accessdate=25 September 2020}}

The ground floor ashlar stonework is heavily tooled with round-headed arches spanning over the windows. The centre arch over the entrance door is slightly wider than the others. The upper floor consists of pilasters standing on a string course and supporting a strong cornice at roof level. The two wings are both similar with a three-bay breakfront surmounted by a pediment.

It is the only one of Dublin's great Georgian houses which still serves its original purpose.{{fact|date=February 2022}} It lies at the north end of Grafton Street near the corner with Nassau Street and has the unique address of No 1 Grafton Street.{{fact|date=February 2022}}

Henry Keene may have designed the interior.

Metalwork may have been by Timothy Turner.{{fact|date=February 2022}}

It was described by Charles Robert Cockerell in 1823 as follows: "The beautiful front of the Provost's House,...... had been completely spoilt by a high pitched roof and the centre arch having keystone smaller than the sides, producing a disfigured visual effect."{{fact|date=February 2022}}

Other usage

In 2017 the house was used as a neutral venue for negotiations between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as part of Irish government formation talks.{{cite web |title=Hidden treasure in Dublin houses a thriving community |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d1b34988-4eca-11e8-9471-a083af05aea7 |website=www.ft.com |accessdate=25 September 2020}}

References