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NAME Merville UCD
AREA LOCATION
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Callery and it is
annotated as Merville on both.
GENERAL Merville at UCD - '20 to 24 acres in 1775 with 4 ‘roomy slated houses for labourers’.
Merville is a Georgian style symmetrical two storey villa and was originally accessed from Fosters Avenue.
Seven bays with a compact four column stone portico. At the rear are two bow projections, each with
a balcony. In 1811 the sale included the furniture from 20 Bedrooms, 4 parlours and 3 drawing rooms,
most of the furniture was from Kidd's of London.
It has many architectural features including a Doric porch which is probably a later addition. The roof is
partially hidden and the stairs is central. It retains a lot of its original plasterwork, vaulted ceilings and
building façade which were sensitively restored. Its stables with original granite arches also survive.
It is now part of UCD Nova.
It has a connection with The Five Lamps (a landmark with many Dubliners) through one of its occupants
- General Henry Hall. At the junction of five thoroughfares – Portland Row, North Strand Road, Amiens
Street, Killarney Street and Seville Place stands a Lamppost with 5 lanterns which was erected around
1880. They were originally part of a fountain which was funded through a bequest of the General. He had
served in the army and was a Governor in India for many years. He died on the 22 August 1875 and left
£200 in his will for the provision of two drinking fountains 'to encourage sobriety'. It was later converted
to a lamp post/signpost. The North Strand was bombed during WWII, three hundred houses were
destroyed or damaged but the Five Lamps survived the attack.
The gardens contained a old Mulberry tree in 1908, thought to one of only 4 in the locality. It also had
specimen Banksia roses. The Dudgeon family held the lease on Merville but it was frequently rented out.
YEAR BUILT circa 1770
VALUATION No PLU valuation has been found but in the 1901 census it is noted as having 30
rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, OSI Maps, F E Ball, Registry of
Deeds, Archers survey of County Dublin 1802 and NAI Census & Wills.
OCCUPANTS
1770 - 1775 Hon Lord Chief Baron Anthony Foster
1775 To Let/for Sale
1778 John Foster, Baron Oriel
1779 - 1805 Sir Thomas Lighton
1811 99 year lease from Lord Fitzwilliam and effects of Thomas Lighton sold.
1811 - 1826 Baron William Downes
1826 - 1827 For Sale on 31 acres and 30 perches
1827 – 1833 Michael Sweetman
1833 For Sale with 72 years of an unexpired lease given from the late Lord
Fitzgerald to the late Lord Downes. (Between 31 and 32 acres)
1834 - 1839 Robert Manders
1840 - 1875 General Henry Hall
1876 - 1878 Alice Bagot & her husband (see extraordinary story)
1893 Interest in lease sold
1894 - 1955 Dudgeon family
1910 - 1915 Alfred Hamilton Connell
1938 - 1955 Lt Col Joseph Hume Dudgeon
1956 Purchased by UCD
2001 Biochemistry and Pharmacology academic teaching and research.
2003 Nova UCD
STAFF
1817 - 1823 Mr Daniel Levingston - Gardener
1831 John Fox - Gardener
1832 - 1833 Mr Archbold - Gardener
1834 - 1837 Mr Dunne - Gardener
1840 Patrick Doran - Steward
1886 - 1889 Mr Ryan - Steward
1901 Alice Gregory
Isabella Bennett
Helena Louisa Braine
1908 Mr D O'Leary - Gardener
1911 Margaret Walton - Cook
Teresa Houston - Scullery Maid
Maggie Rose Pirrie - Kitchenmaid
Madeline Coughlan - Upper Housemaid
Kate McGlinn - Upper Palourmaid
Catherine Cochrane - Ladies Maid
Matilda Savage - Upper Laundry Maid
Dorothy Spinks - 2nd Housemaid
Rose Anne Dawson - 2nd Laundrymaid
Mary Perkins - 2nd parlourmaid
CURRENT
Status Extant
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE July 2018
AREA LOCATION
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Callery and it is
annotated as Merville on both.
GENERAL Merville at UCD - '20 to 24 acres in 1775 with 4 ‘roomy slated houses for labourers’.
Merville is a Georgian style symmetrical two storey villa and was originally accessed from Fosters Avenue.
Seven bays with a compact four column stone portico. At the rear are two bow projections, each with
a balcony. In 1811 the sale included the furniture from 20 Bedrooms, 4 parlours and 3 drawing rooms,
most of the furniture was from Kidd's of London.
It has many architectural features including a Doric porch which is probably a later addition. The roof is
partially hidden and the stairs is central. It retains a lot of its original plasterwork, vaulted ceilings and
building façade which were sensitively restored. Its stables with original granite arches also survive.
It is now part of UCD Nova.
It has a connection with The Five Lamps (a landmark with many Dubliners) through one of its occupants
- General Henry Hall. At the junction of five thoroughfares – Portland Row, North Strand Road, Amiens
Street, Killarney Street and Seville Place stands a Lamppost with 5 lanterns which was erected around
1880. They were originally part of a fountain which was funded through a bequest of the General. He had
served in the army and was a Governor in India for many years. He died on the 22 August 1875 and left
£200 in his will for the provision of two drinking fountains 'to encourage sobriety'. It was later converted
to a lamp post/signpost. The North Strand was bombed during WWII, three hundred houses were
destroyed or damaged but the Five Lamps survived the attack.
The gardens contained a old Mulberry tree in 1908, thought to one of only 4 in the locality. It also had
specimen Banksia roses. The Dudgeon family held the lease on Merville but it was frequently rented out.
YEAR BUILT circa 1770
VALUATION No PLU valuation has been found but in the 1901 census it is noted as having 30
rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, OSI Maps, F E Ball, Registry of
Deeds, Archers survey of County Dublin 1802 and NAI Census & Wills.
OCCUPANTS
1770 - 1775 Hon Lord Chief Baron Anthony Foster
1775 To Let/for Sale
1778 John Foster, Baron Oriel
1779 - 1805 Sir Thomas Lighton
1811 99 year lease from Lord Fitzwilliam and effects of Thomas Lighton sold.
1811 - 1826 Baron William Downes
1826 - 1827 For Sale on 31 acres and 30 perches
1827 – 1833 Michael Sweetman
1833 For Sale with 72 years of an unexpired lease given from the late Lord
Fitzgerald to the late Lord Downes. (Between 31 and 32 acres)
1834 - 1839 Robert Manders
1840 - 1875 General Henry Hall
1876 - 1878 Alice Bagot & her husband (see extraordinary story)
1893 Interest in lease sold
1894 - 1955 Dudgeon family
1910 - 1915 Alfred Hamilton Connell
1938 - 1955 Lt Col Joseph Hume Dudgeon
1956 Purchased by UCD
2001 Biochemistry and Pharmacology academic teaching and research.
2003 Nova UCD
STAFF
1817 - 1823 Mr Daniel Levingston - Gardener
1831 John Fox - Gardener
1832 - 1833 Mr Archbold - Gardener
1834 - 1837 Mr Dunne - Gardener
1840 Patrick Doran - Steward
1886 - 1889 Mr Ryan - Steward
1901 Alice Gregory
Isabella Bennett
Helena Louisa Braine
1908 Mr D O'Leary - Gardener
1911 Margaret Walton - Cook
Teresa Houston - Scullery Maid
Maggie Rose Pirrie - Kitchenmaid
Madeline Coughlan - Upper Housemaid
Kate McGlinn - Upper Palourmaid
Catherine Cochrane - Ladies Maid
Matilda Savage - Upper Laundry Maid
Dorothy Spinks - 2nd Housemaid
Rose Anne Dawson - 2nd Laundrymaid
Mary Perkins - 2nd parlourmaid
CURRENT
Status Extant
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE July 2018