The Custom House- was it built backwards?

Rredwell

Hi

I heard from a friend that the Custom House was possibly built backwards (by accident), ie, the riverine facade was intended for Beresford Pl., and vice versa. Has anyone else heard anything on this? It may have had something to with the entrances - the one that was approached by grandeur and nobility being the street one, not the riverine. Certainly to look at it, it could have been. The carvings of live cattle heads (to symbolise Ireland's cattle trade with Britain) are at the back as well as front.

Just a thought,
Iain.

Flukey

I have never heard that. Do a bit of research on James Gandon, the architect, and see if you can find anything.

WexCan

Rredwell wrote:

Hi

I heard from a friend that the Custom House was possibly built backwards (by accident), ie, the riverine facade was intended for Beresford Pl., and vice versa. Has anyone else heard anything on this? It may have had something to with the entrances - the one that was approached by grandeur and nobility being the street one, not the riverine. Certainly to look at it, it could have been. The carvings of live cattle heads (to symbolise Ireland's cattle trade with Britain) are at the back as well as front.

Just a thought,
Iain.

Two sides to this:

1) The built-backwards argument is plausible if you consider, as you said, the entrances, cattle heads, etc.

but...

2) How can you accidentally build a building backwards?

py2006

I have heard this quite a few times over the years. When you look at it, it does look the wrong way around alright.

In most circumstances you would say that its impossible! But you got to remember, its here in Ireland!!! So anything like that is possible when it comes to building and construction.

m4cker

It wouldn't be the biggest screw up I have heard of, a friend of mine from Carlow was telling me that their Court house was originally made for Cork but their was a mix up at some point. Looking at the size of the court house I could well believe it. Either that or Carlow is full of delingquents(SP?) which iI could also believe.

py2006

Hmmm that reminds me! I can't remember which building it is in Dublin. But I rember hearing a few years ago about plans for a building that was made in Dublin were actually meant for a building in Russia or India or somewhere.

Binomate

I never even knew there was a front or a back to the place!

europerson

Its original function was to be a customs office, so it made sense for the more impressive façade to be alongside the river. That might be the explanation.

Rb

Aren't all the buildings along the liffey river-facing?

Rredwell

On the whole Russia/India thing, there is an urban legend that the plans to which NUIG was built were originally intended for India, but they got mixed up. It makes sense when you look at the onion-shaped domes.

As for building a building backwards - it's very possible. They did it in Dundalk with a whole row of houses, not too long ago.

And as for the river-facing thing - as I've said before, maybe the river-facing side was not the side by which grandeur and nobility were supposed to enter.

stag39

Rredwell wrote:

And as for the river-facing thing - as I've said before, maybe the river-facing side was not the side by which grandeur and nobility were supposed to enter.

Yes cause in those days the liffy stank like hell...ie. it was manky;)

Magown3

When I was doing Civil Engineering in Bolton Street a few years ago one of my lecturers told us that story about the Custom House being built the wrong way around.....

An judging by the look of him he might well have worked on it himself

u2gooner

Newstalk 106 fm did an episode of Hidden Dublin in the Custom House. It can be found on itunes under podcasts. The series is number 37 in the top 100 podcasts on the irish itunes site.
Its about 20 mins long and talks all about the place, history/ facts/ oddities etc....

Check it out

ballooba

That was one of the Army Barracks was supposed to be built in the colonies in India. The plans got mixed up and the Indians have our barracks. We have theirs. Not sure which barracks it was.

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ballooba wrote:

That was one of the Army Barracks was supposed to be built in the colonies in India. The plans got mixed up and the Indians have our barracks. We have theirs. Not sure which barracks it was.

That'd be McKee Bks, well, it'll be a Bks until the gubbermint decide to sell it off like they did with the rest of Army real estate but that's another thread.

Begs

WexCan wrote:

2) How can you accidentally build a building backwards?

I'm fairly sure the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow was built backwards. Apparently the architect was so upset over it that he took his own life!! :eek:

Hagar

They did the roof first and had to hold it up while the walls were built and then laid the foundations under them*

* May be total bullsh1t

stag39

WexCan wrote:

How can you accidentally build a building backwards?

stupid builder had the plans the wrong way round or he was dyslexic:)