Chapel Royal - Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland
N 53° 20.588 W 006° 15.962
29U E 681999 N 5913926
The Chapel Royal is a gothic revival building designed by Francis Johnston. It is famous for its vaulting, its particularly fine plaster decoration and carved oaks and galleries.
Waymark Code: WMFVDG
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Date Posted: 12/03/2012
Views: 12
The Tourist Information Dublin website
[visit
link] tells us:
"The Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle was the official
Church of Ireland chapel of the Household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from
1814 until the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 when the office of Lord
Lieutenant, and his British government regime in Ireland was
terminated.
The chapel was designed by Francis Johnston and contains
one of the finest Gothic revival interiors in Ireland. It was built to replace
an earlier 18th century church that suffered structural problems due to being
built on soft ground close to the site of the original castle moat. The new
Chapel Royal was built using a timber frame to make it as light as possible, but
still it took seven years to build due to the difficulties relating to the site
and also because of the "sheer opulence" of the interior.
Building started on 15 February 1807 and the chapel was
opened, behind schedule and over budget, on Christmas Day, 1814. Charles
Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth and Lord-Lieutenant contributed the centre portion
of the large stained-glass window above the altar, which reputedly had come from
Russia.
The decoration of the ceiling of the interior was done
by George Stapleton while sculptor Edward Smyth and his son John (responsible
for the statues on the General Post Office) carved the larger figures. Over the
chancel window are three life-size figures representing Faith, Hope and Charity.
Over the galleries are heads representing Piety and Devotion.
The exterior features over 90 carved heads, including
those of Brian Boru, St. Patrick, Archbishop Ussher and Jonathan Swift, done by
Edward and John Smyth.
The large organ in the chapel, still playable, is said
to have been a gift from Prince Albert, consort of Queen
Victoria.
In 1943, the church became the property of the Irish
Army, and the former Church of Ireland chapel became a Roman Catholic Church,
under the name the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. The Stations of the Cross
were then carved by the monks in Glenstall Abbey and presented to the church in
1946. Although the chapel has not been deconsecrated, neither Masses nor Divine
Services take place there any more."
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