The Tailors’ Guild Hall, is Dublin’s sole surviving Guild Hall and was built in the early years of the eighteenth century, c.1705 on the site of a former Jesuit chapel and college.
It is a protected structure, entered on the RPS Ref: 332 and has been surveyed under the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage completed in 2016, Reg No: 50080535, rated as being of ‘National Significance’ and cited as being of ‘Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social interest’.
As the meeting place of the Guild of Merchant Tailors, it was of social and commercial importance during the eighteenth century and was used by the Catholic Committee during the campaign against Penal Law in 1792, becoming known as the ‘Back Lane Parliament’ and was used later by the Society of United Irishmen.
It comprises a seven-bay two-storey over basement (with attic accommodation) former guild hall, incorporating a two-storey return and gabled bay to rear elevation.
The building retains much of its original 18th century form and character, with a considerable amount of early and later 18th century decorative and primary fabric surviving both internally and externally.
Originally restored c.1970, the building is now in use as Head Quarters for An Taisce.
Kelly and Cogan Architects were appointed in 2015 to act as conservation architects and design team leaders for the conservation and stabilisation of external fabric addressing structural stability, weatherproofing of the fabric, brick and stone repairs and strengthening of roof trusses. The works were completed in early 2016.
While much of the fabric dates from 1706. The Guild Hall underwent alteration in the late 18th century with the cutting back of beam and joist ends and projecting cornices to external facades and the erection of parapets which concealed the original early 18th century hipped overhanging roof structure.
Prior to our appointment the building was showing evidence of structural failure of the front wall facing onto the back Lane entrance courtyard combined with severe internal ceiling cracking suggestive of failure of roof timbers and beams and the severe delamination of facing brick occasioned by the use of hard cement pointing in the 1970s restoration work had contributed further to its degradation.
These issues resulted in significant stresses being imposed upon the already weaker front walls facing onto the Back Lane courtyard (which incorporated a series of deep double height window opes lighting the Guild Hall), causing walls to shift outwards and to bulge and subside, while stresses in the poorly baked local brick caused significant cracking at reveals and structural failure of heads.
This situation was exacerbated further by a prolonged lack of maintenance during the latter part of the 19th century and for most of the 20th century and was worsened by ill-conceived repairs which contributed to decay and dilapidation.
The greatest challenge faced was a significant structural destabilisation of the main courtyard wall which visibly bulged outward and was disconnecting itself from the roof beams above, which themselves had been severely weakened by the cutting away of their projecting ends in the late 18th century.
Following an extensive laser contour survey of the front and side elevations which revealed the precise locations of problematic areas, a structural strategy was developed to reinforce and strengthen the failing roof timbers and to stabilise and anchor the external masonry back to the superstructure of the building with a series of Helifix Bow-Ties and Helibeams and steel plates embedded in the spine and party walls.
Roof timber repairs were carried out by temporarily propping the failing beam following which stainless steel vertical and horizontal tie rods were installed to provide additional strength and prevent further movement
The façade then received a mild wash using steam and a comprehensive programme of brick and mortar repair was undertaken using lime based mortars and where absolutely necessary, using a closely matched hand made brick.
The entirety of the brick & stone façade was raked out and repointed in a lime mortar. The cleaning down and close quarters inspection of the façade revealed previously hidden and over written detail around the window arches which was repaired and reinstated following which the window arches were delicately repointed in tuck pointing while the surrounding brick was flush pointed again in lime and raddled over, with the raddle mix matched to original fragments found on the facade.
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Location |
Back Lane Dublin 8 |
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Date Of Construction |
1706 |
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Client |
An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland |
Location: Back Lane, Dublin 8
Date Of Construction: 1706
Client: An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland
