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Achilles Daunt
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St Matthias' Church, Hatch Street
Built in 1842, it was to be part of a development called Wellington Square which never went
ahead. The land was gifted to the church by Sir Samuel Synge-Hutchinson, 3rd Baronet.
The architect was the American born Daniel Robertson, who was better known for designing
houses such as Castleboro in Co Wexford circa 1840, Lisnavagh in Co Carlow circa 1846 and the
terraces at Powerscourt House.
St Matthias’ was an evangelical church and it was reported by the newspapers to have been full
on every Sunday at the height of its popularity. In 1869 The Church closed temporarily to
extend the nave and add a chancel. This allowed for an additional five hundred seats to be
installed. During this time services were moved to the National Exhibition Hall (now the
National concert Hall) on nearby Earlsfort Terrace. Achilles Daunt was the preacher at the time
and according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 'Daunt had to use the large
concert hall of the exhibition palace. His sermons were so popular that his congregations
averaged 3000 or more people.'
By the 1950s the congregation was very sparse and a decision was taken by the Church of
Ireland that the church was no longer viable. The land around it was sold to the railway
company for the Harcourt Street terminus. The last service was held on Sunday the 25 Mar 1956.
There had been a threatened occupation by some of the parishioner to try and save the church
but that appears not to have happened. The furniture and fittings were removed from the
building. It was demolished in 1957 and the salvage (including 50 foot beams and granite stones
each weighing a ton) was sold from the site later that year. The site of the church became office
buildings.
The war memorial from St Matthias’ Church was restored and relocated to St Audoen’s Church,
Cornmarket on 8 Nov 2015. It is believed that the east window was moved to St Michan's.
Clergy
1842 - 1867 Rev Maurice F Day
1867 - 1875 Rev Achilles Daunt - minister
1875 - 1893 Canon Frederick Richards Wynn
1894 - 1900 Rev Maurice Day
1905 - 1921 Rev William Bailey
1935 - 1939 Rev George Nowlan - Rector
1939 - 1944 Rev William Cecil de Pauley
1947 - 1957 Rev R H Dowse - Rector
www.irishgenealogy.ie have 1203 baptisms and 183 marriages digitised and online.
The RCB Library holds the following parish registers:-
Baptisms 1867-1955
Marriages 1873-1955
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2015
Return to Church of Ireland Churches
Built in 1842, it was to be part of a development called Wellington Square which never went
ahead. The land was gifted to the church by Sir Samuel Synge-Hutchinson, 3rd Baronet.
The architect was the American born Daniel Robertson, who was better known for designing
houses such as Castleboro in Co Wexford circa 1840, Lisnavagh in Co Carlow circa 1846 and the
terraces at Powerscourt House.
St Matthias’ was an evangelical church and it was reported by the newspapers to have been full
on every Sunday at the height of its popularity. In 1869 The Church closed temporarily to
extend the nave and add a chancel. This allowed for an additional five hundred seats to be
installed. During this time services were moved to the National Exhibition Hall (now the
National concert Hall) on nearby Earlsfort Terrace. Achilles Daunt was the preacher at the time
and according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 'Daunt had to use the large
concert hall of the exhibition palace. His sermons were so popular that his congregations
averaged 3000 or more people.'
By the 1950s the congregation was very sparse and a decision was taken by the Church of
Ireland that the church was no longer viable. The land around it was sold to the railway
company for the Harcourt Street terminus. The last service was held on Sunday the 25 Mar 1956.
There had been a threatened occupation by some of the parishioner to try and save the church
but that appears not to have happened. The furniture and fittings were removed from the
building. It was demolished in 1957 and the salvage (including 50 foot beams and granite stones
each weighing a ton) was sold from the site later that year. The site of the church became office
buildings.
The war memorial from St Matthias’ Church was restored and relocated to St Audoen’s Church,
Cornmarket on 8 Nov 2015. It is believed that the east window was moved to St Michan's.
Clergy
1842 - 1867 Rev Maurice F Day
1867 - 1875 Rev Achilles Daunt - minister
1875 - 1893 Canon Frederick Richards Wynn
1894 - 1900 Rev Maurice Day
1905 - 1921 Rev William Bailey
1935 - 1939 Rev George Nowlan - Rector
1939 - 1944 Rev William Cecil de Pauley
1947 - 1957 Rev R H Dowse - Rector
www.irishgenealogy.ie have 1203 baptisms and 183 marriages digitised and online.
The RCB Library holds the following parish registers:-
Baptisms 1867-1955
Marriages 1873-1955
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2015
Return to Church of Ireland Churches
