15 Facts About James Gandon

James Gandon was an English architect best known for his work in Ireland during the late 18th century and early 19th century.

James Gandon's better known works include The Custom House and the surrounding Beresford Place, the Four Courts and the King's Inns in Dublin and Emo Court in County Laois.

In 1765, James Gandon left William Chambers to begin practice on his own.

However, James Gandon's design came second and brought him to the attention of the politicians who were overseeing the large-scale redevelopment of Dublin, one of the largest cities in Europe at the time.

Thomas Cooley, the original architect on that project, had died and James Gandon was chosen to assume complete control.

James Gandon employed the sculptor Edward Smyth to work on the Custom House and all of his Dublin buildings.

James Gandon took a house in Mecklenburgh Street, that he might be near the residence of John Beresford, the main proponent for the development of the city.

The city, which in James Gandon's lifetime was to grow to become the fifth largest city in Europe, was undergoing vast expansion, mostly following the Palladian and neoclassical designs already popularised in the city by Edward Lovett Pearce and Richard Cassels.

James Gandon designed Carlisle Bridge over the River Liffey to join the north and south areas of the city.

James Gandon worked for the Wide Street Commissioners and designed the facades for the shops at ground floor of D'Olier Street, Burgh Quay and some surrounding streets.

James Gandon's town planning work included creating a new setting for the Custom House with a curved terrace of townhouses at Beresford Place, Dublin, and the New Geneva town in County Waterford which was never completed.

James Gandon designed a number of buildings including walled gardens, and farm buildings at Carriglass just outside Longford Town.

In truth James Gandon had merely rediscovered what architects from Vitruvius to Thomas Jefferson believed, which was that the Palladian form was eminently suitable for the design of public buildings where huge civic prestige was required.

James Gandon died on 24 December 1823 at his home in Lucan, County Dublin, having spent forty-two years in the city.

James Gandon was buried in the church-yard of Drumcondra Church, in the same grave as his friend the antiquary Francis Grose.