Difference between revisions of "Merrion Hall, Dublin"

Revision as of 12:01, 11 September 2018

Merrion Hall was built in 1863 near the Georgian "Merrion Square", as possibly the largest Brethren assembly in the world, and was also the 2nd assembly built in Dublin (the 1st being Aungier Street Hall, among private house meetings).  "The Dublin Builder", upon its completion and opening, referred that "it may be regarded in somewhat the same light as the Spurgeon Tabernacle". 

In fact, its "double deck preacher's platform" was said to have been "almost identical to that of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. Merrion also contained three completely oval galleries. The lower hall in the basement contained a below-floor baptism pool.

The first resident worker was Joseph Denham Smith (1816-1819), well known throughout England and Ireland for his evangelistic work, and hymn writing. 

Design

The description of the interior and exterior design, as described by the forementioned trades magazine, can be found at the Wikipedia article on Merrion Hall.

The cost was described as £16,000, including the fittings and furniture.  This is equivalent to $20,906.00 in American dollars, which translates into $418,129 in 2018 with an inflation calculator.  The dimensions of the site covered an area of 6,800 superficial feet, 85 feet width by 90 feet in depth. The building seated about 3,500, and, with standing room, would accommodate 5,000.

Architect

The architect was Alfred Gresham Jones (1824-1915) whose other designs can be found here.

Dublin Exhibition Palace and Winter Garden

One of Jones' other notable designs included the Dublin International Exhibit Building in 1863, which was cofounded by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness (1798-1868) initially towards an arts and manufacturing world's fair in 1865 attended by one million people. Guinness was grandson of Arthur Guinness the founder of the brewery by the same name. Benjamin inherited the brewery at the death of his father in 1855, which made him "the richest man in Ireland", his personality sworn at $25 million in today's funds. He is also credited with investing $135 million in the 1840's railways, and undertaking the restoral of St. Patrick's Cathedral 1860-1865 at $2.3 million at his own expense. Values listed in 2018 terms. Another grandson of Arthur Guinness was Henry Grattan Guinness, early Brethren missiologist.

The building was influenced by the Crystal Palace in London, England. This latter building was converted in 1908 into the central building of University College Dublin, and in 1981 reopened as the National Concert Hall.

Other Workers

• Ventilation system: Edmunson & Company
• General contractor: Cockburn & Sons
• Iron work: Mr. Strong, of Hammond-lane.

Closing

The brethren assembly occupied the building until 1988 when it was sold to a developer, and largely destroyed by a fire in 1991, and redeveloped as the Davenport Hotel behind the original restored 1863 facade.

Merrion Hall in Popular Culture

• The building was used as a film location for the 1991 film Hear My Song portraying a London night club.
• One of the few religious buildings mentioned in James Joyce's "Ulysses" is Merrion Hall.

Sources

• J. Denham Smith bio
• [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrion_Hall Wiki on Merrion Hall
• Dublin City Merrion Hall article
• Photo credit: Archiseek