University Lodge
Building History
While its history is somewhat unclear, it appears that this estate has held various names since inception, including Roebuck Grove, Whiteoaks and the current title of University Lodge. The land on which the Lodge stands today was part of a larger estate, in the ownership of the Barnewell family since the middle ages. The head of the family was created Baron Trimlestown in 1461 and the family itself was considered to be of great importance and influence in the 16th and 17th centuries.
In the late 1700’s Nicholas Barnewell, 14th Baron Trimlestown (1726-1812) began the disposal of parcels of land in the area, leading to the later 1812 acquisition by Captain Solomon Augustus Richards, a landowner from Wexford, of this site.
University Lodge
Captain Richards, subsequently leased 12 acres of this land in 1853 to Robert Queale who built the house Roebuck Grove. Leather and bark merchant Queale soon sold his leasehold to Richard Seymour Guinness in 1862. The house continued to change hands until 1949, when it is was purchased by University College Dublin, and since then it has been the residence of the President of the university and is used as a venue for university functions.
Building Description
The building itself is of indefinite origin, but it would appear that it was first configured as a simple 2 storey farmhouse and maintained as this until the late 19th Century. University Lodge has an elegant Greek façade thought to have been added to an earlier, more modest Georgian villa or even farmhouse. The front entrance features a Doric portico while the gable end has a doorway that leads down into the garden area.
As in the case of many late Georgian/Victorian villas developed in Dublin, the main reception rooms on the upper floor are connected to the rest of the house by a staircase. While sloped or coombe ceilings are present on the upper floor, four-panel doors are found throughout.
Restoration Works
The main challenge for this restoration project was to develop a building brief which would combine a formal reception area with a modern-class residence. Another key challenge was the limited timescale available to access the property during the changeover between UCD Presidents. No significant refurbishment had been carried out in the house since the 1960’s, ultimately resulting in its progressive deterioration.
The protected structure underwent significant refurbishment (complete replacement of key elements such as roof, heating, plumbing, electrics and general building fabric) in 2004 under the supervision of Desmond Barry of Sheehan & Barry Architects. The architectural features of the original building have now been returned to their former quality giving the Lodge a new lease of life.
The house has been cleverly restored, so that the fine formal rooms of the Greek revival section can be employed for public receptions, while the rear section of the house allows the President and his family to live a normal life with the privacy they might expect.
Project Timeline
Permission to proceed with work on this period house was granted in early 2004 and works were completed by late 2004. The University Lodge is a listed and protected building, placing strict legal restrictions on how it may be refurbished.
