Thomas de Burgh
Encyclopedia
Colonel Thomas de Burgh 1670 – 18 December 1730), often named in his lifetime as Thomas Burgh, was an Irish
military engineer
, architect
, and Member of the Parliament of Ireland
. He designed a number of the large public buildings of Dublin including the old Custom House (1704–6), Trinity College Library
(1712–33), Dr Steevens' Hospital
(1719), the Linen Hall (1722), and the Royal Barracks
(1701 onwards).
Ulysses Burgh (d. 1692) of Drumkeen, County Limerick
, who was Dean of Emly and later Bishop of Ardagh
. His mother was Mary, daughter of William Kingsmill of Ballibeg, County Cork
. His brothers, Richard de Burgh of Dromkeen and Drumrusk and William de Burgh of Bert were both Members of Parliament. He was descended, through Edmond de Burgh
, from William de Burgh
(1135–1206), who first settled in Ireland in 1185, becoming Justiciar.
Thomas was educated at Delany's school in Dublin, and Trinity College, Dublin
, where he matriculated on 22 November 1685 and left without taking a degree. Prior to the outbreak of the 1688 wars
he is likely to have left Ireland for London with his father. He returned to Ireland in the army of King William III
, as a lieutenant in Lord Lovelace
's regiment of foot, and served at the Siege of Limerick. This may have been followed by a brief spell in the Irish engineers from 1691. In any case, de Burgh was commissioned as a Captain in 1692 in the Royal Regiment of Foot. In this capacity he served in the Low Countries
at the battles of Steenkerke
(1692) and Landen
(1693), and as engineer at the siege of Namur
(1695). During this time, he absorbed the ideas of the Dutch engineer Menno van Coehoorn
(1641–1740). In 1697 he became Third Engineer on the Irish establishment.
In 1700, de Burgh replaced the Surveyor General of Ireland
, William Robinson
, and one year later also became Barracks Overseer in Ireland. Under his command barrack building was expanded and the rebuilding of Dublin Castle
, begun under Robinson, was completed. The Royal House at Chapelizod
(County Dublin) and Chichester House
in Dublin were repaired as well as the numerous coastal fortifications.
As well as a Colonel of Engineers (lieutenant-colonel, 11 April 1706), de Burgh held a Captain's commission in Brasier's regiment of foot from 1707 to 1714.
of the city of Dublin in recognition of his work in enriching Dublin's architecture. He was later admitted to the Dublin Philosophical Society
. He served as Member of Parliament for Naas
from 1713 to 1730 and as a government minister. He was appointed High Sheriff of Kildare in 1712, Governor of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in 1707 and served as a Trustee of St Steven's Hospital from 1717- 1730.
From 1705 to 1714 he was Lieutenant of Ordnance for Ireland, an appointment which, held with that of Surveyor General, made him the most influential officer in the Irish Ordnance. In this role he was responsible for overseeing the construction and renovation of all military buildings in Ireland as well as other public works. De Burgh had his commission successivley renewed over the twenty seven years following his appointment as Surveyor General in 1700.
Burgh was also responsible for the building of several churches, including St Mary's and St Werburgh's
(1715). He is known to have built a number of private houses, most of which no longer exist, including the O'Brien family house at Dromoland, County Clare
, in about 1719.
His own country house at Oldtown near Naas
, County Kildare
, was the only building into which he introduced Palladian ideas. He acquired the land in 1696 and the house was built thirteen years later. His architectural style was otherwise "restrained" and notable mainly for massing on different planes, using a central five-bay front crowned by a large pediment, and arcading on the ground floor. Oldtown remained the family home, although a fire destroyed the original main house and a wing in the 1950s.
He worked on several engineering projects, including improvements to Dublin Harbour and the proposed Newry Canal
, although this was not built until after his death. Burgh published a pamphlet entitled "A method to determine the areas of right-lined figures universally, very useful for ascertaining the contents of any survey" (Dublin, 1724).
In 1728 de Burgh lost the commission to build the new Parliament House
in Dublin to Edward Lovett Pearce
(1699–1733), who succeeded de Burgh as Surveyor General on his death, after an illness, in 1730.
William Smyth, Bishop of Kilmore
, on 10 July 1700. They had five sons and four daughters. His town house was in Dawson Street (now rebuilt) and his country estate was Oldtown in County Kildare. He also owned lucrative collieries in County Antrim
.
He was succeeded as MP for Naas by his eldest son, Thomas de Burgh (1707–1759). His other children were:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
military engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
, architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, and Member of the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
. He designed a number of the large public buildings of Dublin including the old Custom House (1704–6), Trinity College Library
Trinity College Library, Dublin
Trinity College Library Dublin, the centrally-administered library of Trinity College, Dublin, is the largest library in Ireland. As a "copyright library", it has legal deposit rights for material published in the Republic of Ireland; it is also the only Irish library to hold such rights for the...
(1712–33), Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin was one of Ireland's most distinguished eighteenth-century medical establishments...
(1719), the Linen Hall (1722), and the Royal Barracks
Collins Barracks (Dublin)
Collins Barracks is a former military barracks in the Arbour Hill area of Dublin, Ireland. The buildings are now the National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History...
(1701 onwards).
Early life
Thomas de Burgh was the son of Rt RevRight Reverend
The Right Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain it applies to bishops except that The Most Reverend is used for archbishops .*In some churches with a...
Ulysses Burgh (d. 1692) of Drumkeen, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, who was Dean of Emly and later Bishop of Ardagh
Bishop of Ardagh
The Bishop of Ardagh was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Ardagh in County Longford, Ireland. It was used by the Roman Catholic Church until 1756, and intermittently by the Church of Ireland until 1839....
. His mother was Mary, daughter of William Kingsmill of Ballibeg, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. His brothers, Richard de Burgh of Dromkeen and Drumrusk and William de Burgh of Bert were both Members of Parliament. He was descended, through Edmond de Burgh
Edmond Albanach de Burgh
-Early life:Edmond Albanach was the son of Sir William Liath de Burgh. He acquired his nickname from the time he spent in Scotland from the spring of 1316 as a hostage for his father, after the latter's release by Robert the Bruce.-Mac William Íochtar:...
, from William de Burgh
William de Burgh
William de Burgh, founder of the de Burgh/Burke/Bourke family of Ireland, d. 1206.-In Ireland:He arrived in Ireland in 1185 and was closely associated with Prince John....
(1135–1206), who first settled in Ireland in 1185, becoming Justiciar.
Thomas was educated at Delany's school in Dublin, and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he matriculated on 22 November 1685 and left without taking a degree. Prior to the outbreak of the 1688 wars
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
he is likely to have left Ireland for London with his father. He returned to Ireland in the army of King William III
King William III
William III may refer to:* William III of Aquitaine * William III of Toulouse * William III of Provence * William III of Montferrat * William III of Angoulême * William III of Ponthieu William III may refer to:* William III of Aquitaine (915–963)* William III of Toulouse (died 1037)* William III of...
, as a lieutenant in Lord Lovelace
Baron Lovelace
Baron Lovelace, of Hurley in the County of Berkshire, was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 31 May 1627 for Sir Richard Lovelace, who had earlier represented Berkshire, Abingdon and Windsor in Parliament. The second Baron served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. The third Baron...
's regiment of foot, and served at the Siege of Limerick. This may have been followed by a brief spell in the Irish engineers from 1691. In any case, de Burgh was commissioned as a Captain in 1692 in the Royal Regiment of Foot. In this capacity he served in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
at the battles of Steenkerke
Battle of Steenkerque
The Battle of Steenkerque was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years' War. It resulted in the victory of the French under Marshal François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg against a joint English-Scottish-Dutch-German army under Prince William of Orange...
(1692) and Landen
Battle of Landen
The Battle of Landen , in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the Nine Years' War, fought in present-day Belgium on 29 July 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England...
(1693), and as engineer at the siege of Namur
Siege of Namur (1695)
The Siege of Namur, 2 July–1 September 1695, was the second siege of the city of Namur in the Nine Years' War. The Allied forces of the Grand Alliance retook the city from the French, who had captured it in the first siege in 1692...
(1695). During this time, he absorbed the ideas of the Dutch engineer Menno van Coehoorn
Menno van Coehoorn
Menno, Baron van Coehoorn was a Dutch soldier and military engineer of Swedish extraction. He made a number of influential weaponry innovations in siege warfare and fortification techniques...
(1641–1740). In 1697 he became Third Engineer on the Irish establishment.
In 1700, de Burgh replaced the Surveyor General of Ireland
Surveyor General of Ireland
The office of Surveyor General of Ireland was an appointed office under the Dublin Castle administration of Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Surveyor General was typically responsible for the surveying, design and construction of civic works, and was often involved in overseeing the...
, William Robinson
William Robinson (architect)
William Robinson was the Surveyor General of Ireland from 1670/71 until 1700. Born in England, Robinson was appointed to the post of Surveyor General by John Berkeley in his first year of office as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland....
, and one year later also became Barracks Overseer in Ireland. Under his command barrack building was expanded and the rebuilding of Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
, begun under Robinson, was completed. The Royal House at Chapelizod
Chapelizod
Chapelizod is a picturesque Irish village preserved within the city of Dublin, Ireland. It lies in the verdant wooded valley of the River Liffey, on the way to the slopes of the Strawberry Beds, below the Phoenix Park. The village is associated with Iseult of Ireland and the location of Iseault's...
(County Dublin) and Chichester House
Chichester House
Chichester House or Carew's House was a building in College Green , Dublin, Ireland used in the 17th Century to house the Parliament of Ireland. At one time, the building had been owned by Sir George Carew, President of Munster and Lord High Treasurer of Ireland. The house itself was built on the...
in Dublin were repaired as well as the numerous coastal fortifications.
As well as a Colonel of Engineers (lieutenant-colonel, 11 April 1706), de Burgh held a Captain's commission in Brasier's regiment of foot from 1707 to 1714.
Public life
In 1704 Burgh was admitted as a freemanFreeman
- Things :* An individual not tied to land under medieval serfdom, unlike a villein or serf* A person who has been awarded Freedom of the City or "Freedom of the Company" in a Livery Company* Freeman * Freeman...
of the city of Dublin in recognition of his work in enriching Dublin's architecture. He was later admitted to the Dublin Philosophical Society
Dublin Philosophical Society
The Dublin Philosophical Society was founded in 1683 by William Molyneux. It was intended to be the equivalent of the Royal Society in London, with which it maintained cultural ties. Among its most prominent members were William Petty, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, Archbishop William King and Bishop...
. He served as Member of Parliament for Naas
Naas (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Naas was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1801. The Parliament of Ireland merged with the Parliament of Great Britain to form the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801. Thereafter Naas was represented by the Members for Kildare.-1692–1801:...
from 1713 to 1730 and as a government minister. He was appointed High Sheriff of Kildare in 1712, Governor of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in 1707 and served as a Trustee of St Steven's Hospital from 1717- 1730.
From 1705 to 1714 he was Lieutenant of Ordnance for Ireland, an appointment which, held with that of Surveyor General, made him the most influential officer in the Irish Ordnance. In this role he was responsible for overseeing the construction and renovation of all military buildings in Ireland as well as other public works. De Burgh had his commission successivley renewed over the twenty seven years following his appointment as Surveyor General in 1700.
Architect
De Burgh was responsible for the design of several public buildings in Dublin:- Custom House (1704–6), (replaced by James GandonJames GandonJames Gandon is today recognised as one of the leading architects to have worked in Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House, the Four Courts, King's Inns in Dublin and Emo Court in Co...
's Custom HouseThe Custom HouseThe Custom House is a neoclassical 18th century building in Dublin, Ireland which houses the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government...
in 1791) - Trinity College LibraryTrinity College Library, DublinTrinity College Library Dublin, the centrally-administered library of Trinity College, Dublin, is the largest library in Ireland. As a "copyright library", it has legal deposit rights for material published in the Republic of Ireland; it is also the only Irish library to hold such rights for the...
(1712–33) - Dr Steevens' HospitalDr Steevens' HospitalDr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin was one of Ireland's most distinguished eighteenth-century medical establishments...
(1719) - Linen Hall (1722)
- Royal BarracksCollins Barracks (Dublin)Collins Barracks is a former military barracks in the Arbour Hill area of Dublin, Ireland. The buildings are now the National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History...
(1701 onwards) - the Armoury, Dublin CastleDublin CastleDublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
- Ballyburley House
Burgh was also responsible for the building of several churches, including St Mary's and St Werburgh's
St Werburgh's Church, Dublin
St. Werburgh's Church is a Church of Ireland church in Dublin, Ireland, and was built in 1178, shortly after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the town, and named after St. Werburgh, abbess of Ely and patron saint of Chester who died in 699 CE. It is located in Werburgh Street, close to Dublin...
(1715). He is known to have built a number of private houses, most of which no longer exist, including the O'Brien family house at Dromoland, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, in about 1719.
His own country house at Oldtown near Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, was the only building into which he introduced Palladian ideas. He acquired the land in 1696 and the house was built thirteen years later. His architectural style was otherwise "restrained" and notable mainly for massing on different planes, using a central five-bay front crowned by a large pediment, and arcading on the ground floor. Oldtown remained the family home, although a fire destroyed the original main house and a wing in the 1950s.
He worked on several engineering projects, including improvements to Dublin Harbour and the proposed Newry Canal
Newry Canal
The Newry Canal, located in Northern Ireland, was built to link the Tyrone coalfields to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough near Newry.-History:...
, although this was not built until after his death. Burgh published a pamphlet entitled "A method to determine the areas of right-lined figures universally, very useful for ascertaining the contents of any survey" (Dublin, 1724).
In 1728 de Burgh lost the commission to build the new Parliament House
Irish Houses of Parliament
The Irish Houses of Parliament , also known as the Irish Parliament House, today called the Bank of Ireland, College Green due to its use as by the bank, was the world's first purpose-built two-chamber parliament house...
in Dublin to Edward Lovett Pearce
Edward Lovett Pearce
Sir Edward Lovett Pearce was an Irish architect, and the chief exponent of palladianism in Ireland. He is thought to have initially studied as an architect under his father's first cousin, Sir John Vanbrugh. He is best known for the Irish Houses of Parliament in Dublin, and his work on Castletown...
(1699–1733), who succeeded de Burgh as Surveyor General on his death, after an illness, in 1730.
Family
Burgh was married to Mary, a daughter of Rt RevRight Reverend
The Right Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain it applies to bishops except that The Most Reverend is used for archbishops .*In some churches with a...
William Smyth, Bishop of Kilmore
Bishop of Kilmore
The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore in County Cavan, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:...
, on 10 July 1700. They had five sons and four daughters. His town house was in Dawson Street (now rebuilt) and his country estate was Oldtown in County Kildare. He also owned lucrative collieries in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
.
He was succeeded as MP for Naas by his eldest son, Thomas de Burgh (1707–1759). His other children were:
- Thomas de Burgh was also related to Bishop Odo, half brother of King William I of England.
- Colonel Theobald de Burgh (b. 1709)
- Ulysses de Burgh
- Rev John de Burgh
- Richard de Burgh, a barristerBarristerA barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
at Law - Mary
- Dorothea, who married Rt HonThe Right HonourableThe Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Anthony FosterAnthony FosterAnthony Foster , of Collon, Co Louth, was an Irish politician.He was the son of John Foster of Dunleer and Elizabeth Fortesque. He was Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer of Ireland and represented Dunleer in the Irish House of Commons from 1738 to 1761 and subsequently Louth from 1761 to 1767.He...
, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer of IrelandExchequer of IrelandThe Exchequer of Ireland was a body in the Kingdom of Ireland tasked with collecting royal revenue. Modelled on the English Exchequer, it was created in 1210 after John of England applied English law and legal structure to the Kingdom of Ireland... - Catherine
- Elizabeth, who married Rt Hon Walter Hussey de Burgh MP PC, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, campaigner for Irish Independence