Charles Brooking's map of Dublin (1728) explained

Charles Brooking's map of Dublin (1728) was one of the earliest and most detailed maps of Dublin completed by Charles Brooking (1677–1738), an engraver and map maker of English origin and printed in London by John Bowles at The Mercer's Hall in 1728.

Brooking is recorded as working at Greenwich Hospital (London) between 1729 and 1736 as a painter and decorator. He had earlier been active in Plymouth and Dublin where he is recorded as working at Trinity College Dublin in 1723–25.[1]

It is likely his son was Charles Brooking, a notable painter of marine scenes in his own right, who was earlier apprenticed to his father.

The map was one of the first accurate maps of the modern Dublin Georgian streetscape and includes 20 notable Dublin buildings and structures which are embedded as vignettes within the borders of the map.[2] [3] [4] As of 2024, a number of these structures still remain intact. The map also contains the coats of arms of the various Guilds of the City of Dublin.

It was the first detailed map of Dublin carried out since John Speed's map of 1610.

List of illustrations

!Order!Illustration!Title (Sic)!Building or structure!Status!Date of construction!Notes
1Lord Mayors HouseMansion HouseIntact1700Much altered but now used as the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
2The Statue of King George Ye 1st on Essex BridgeEquestrian statue of George IIntact1722Intact but transferred to a different location in Birmingham, England in 1937. It was originally commissioned in 1717.
3The Linnen HallLinenhallDemolished1722Destroyed by fire during the Easter Rising. Some of the gates and arches remain intact.
4Dr. Stevens's HospitalDr Steevens' HospitalIntact1719Still fully intact and used as a governmental administrative office.
5A Prospect of the City BasonThe City BasinDemolished1721Some elements of the basin remain below ground level but have now mostly been replaced with apartments.
6The Custom HouseThe Old Custom HouseDemolished1707Demolished in the early 19th century around 1815 as it was deemed structurally unsound.
7The Front of St. Ann's ChurchSt. Ann's Church, Dawson StreetDemolished1720Some elements of the original baroque structure remain within the structure of the modern church which was constructed in the 19th century.
8The Front of St. Werburghs ChurchSt. Werburgh's ChurchPartially Intact1719The bottom section of the church is still in existence. The spire was demolished in the late 18th and early 19th century.
9The Hospital in Stevens StreetMercer's HospitalDemolished1724The building was demolished in the years following the map and was replaced by a modern Georgian hospital building in 1759 the facade of which still stands.
10The Corn Market House in Thomas StreetCornmarket HouseDemolished1727Located on Thomas Street, the building was demolished at some stage during the middle of the 19th century after closing in 1800 with some of the business moving to a dedicated corn exchange on Burgh Quay.
11Blew Coat Boys HospitalBlue Coat SchoolDemolished1673Replaced with a Georgian building in the second half of the 18th century which still exists and houses the Law Society of Ireland.
12Front of the ColledgeTrinity College Dublin, West frontDemolished1697Demolished in the second half of the 18th century to be replaced with the current west front.
13The Poor HouseFoundling HospitalDemolished1704Demolished only in the second half of the 20th century. Many of the buildings which made up the original South Dublin Union and Foundling Hospital still exist and form part of the St James' Hospital campus.
14The TholselThe TholselDemolished1682Demolished around 1812. The coat of arms on the front of the building is still in existence.
15The Colledge LibraryOld Library of Trinity College DublinIntact1715Still exists and is now generally referred to as the Old Library.
16A Prospect of St. Stephens GreenSt Stephen's GreenIntact1663Still exists as a public city park and green area. It was originally first enclosed as a common in 1664.
17The Royal HospitalRoyal Hospital KilmainhamIntact1684Still exists and houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
18The BarracksRoyal BarracksIntact1701Now usually referred to as Collins Barracks except in historical accounts.
19The CastleDublin CastlePartially Intact1204Most of the key buildings which made up the castle campus are still in existence and have been restored.[5]
20The Statue of King William on Colledge GreenStatue of King William of Orange on College GreenDemolished1701It was severely damaged in an explosion in 1928 and was removed entirely in 1929.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Charles Brooking . www.dia.ie . 6 May 2024.
  2. Web site: The earliest map to portray Dublin on such a large and detailed scale . Crouch Rare Books . 9 August 2024.
  3. Web site: Charles Brooking Map of Dublin 1728 . Dublin Port Archive . 8 August 2024.
  4. Web site: A Map of the City and Suburbs of DublinA Map of the City and Suburbs of Dublin . www.archive.org . 8 August 2024 . 1728.
  5. Web site: View of Dublin Castle from Charles Brooking's map of Dublin, c.1728 Dublin Castle . 9 August 2024.