The Book of Trinity College Dublin 1591-1891Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland)
History
The Book of Trinity College Dublin 1591-1891
Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland)
Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland)
The old Hall, which extended from the present Campanile in the
direction of the College gate, and parallel to the Library, had a
plain end towards the west, in which was the doorway. The view of
the Hall from the gateway being somewhat unsightly, a sum of £600
was bequeathed to the College by Dean Pratt, formerly Provost, for
the purpose of having an ornamental front erected at this end of
the Hall; and Dr. Gilbert had also left by his will a further sum
of £500 towards the building of a new Belfry. The Board accordingly
employed Mr. Cassels to furnish a design for the combination of
the two objects. The building was commenced in 1740, and in 1746
the new front to the Hall, with a Bell Tower surmounted by a
dome and lantern, was completed, at a total cost of £3,886: and
in 1747 the great Bell of the College, which had been cast at
Gloucester in 1742, and which weighs nearly 37 cwt., was then hung
in this Tower.[157] The upper portion of this Belfry was removed
in 1791, having been condemned as unsafe, and the entire front
was taken down in 1798. The present Belfry, or _Campanile_, as
it is usually called, is the gift of Lord John George Beresford,
when Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, in 1852. It
is an isolated monumental building in the centre of Parliament
Square--an architectural composition of three stages. The lower
or basement stage is square in plan, and of the Doric order,
elevated on a bold podium or sub-basement of rusticated granite
ashlar. Each side presents an open archway between two pairs of
Doric pilasters, the pilasters being raised on pedestals, and
the whole surmounted by a Doric entablature. The keystones of
arches have carved heads, representing Homer, Socrates, Plato, and
Demosthenes. This story is built of granite, with chamfered joints
and raised panels, the alternate courses of pilasters being raised
in the same manner. From the blocking of the entablature rises a
stage of circular steps, the angles of blocking being occupied
by pedestals supporting figures representing Divinity, Science,
Medicine, and Law. From the upper step of this chamber rises the
bell-chamber--circular in plan, and formed by eight Corinthian
columns, attached, and raised on pedestals. The space between
each pair of columns is pierced by a semicircular-headed opening,
filled with ornamental ironwork. The Corinthian entablature above
is broken over each column. From this level rises the dome, divided
vertically by bands in continuation of the columns below, the
intervals being carved to resemble overlapping leaves. This dome
is surmounted by a small open lantern, formed by piers and arches;
above these is a small dental cornice, finished by a smaller dome,
carved like the one below. The whole is surmounted by a gilt cross.
Portland stone is used from the upper circular step; the rest is
cut granite. The total height is about one hundred feet.[158]
The gradation of the composition from the square basement to the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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