What if city boundaries could talk? Merchants’ D 1970 whispers tales of Dublin’s transformation. It is a former city ward, now a silent witness to the ever-changing landscape. In 1970, this boundary was officially recognized.
Merchants’ D 1970 stands as a testament to Dublin’s rich history. Wellington Quay was laid out in 1815. Following its completion, it provided a site for the Merchant’s Guild to construct a new dedicated hall. Buildings previously backed directly onto the River Liffey.
The Merchants’ Guild, sometimes called Holy Trinity Guild, operated here. It was their base for roughly 20 years from 1821. The Municipal Reform Act dissolved the city guilds in 1841. Before 1821, the guild shared space with others. They met at the Tholsel and City Assembly House on South William Street.
The commissioners included a covenant. This forced the vaulted archway construction. It enabled public access from the quays and Ha’penny Bridge. People could pass through to Crown Alley and Temple Bar. Today, the laneway is named “Merchants’ Arch”. It is the main entrance to Temple Bar.
From 1873, the hall became the Merchant Tailors’ Endowed School. It moved from Tailors’ Hall. The school finally closed in 1910. PA Noonan & Co Ltd later occupied the building. They were shirt manufacturers. R Atkinson & Company also moved in. They were poplin manufacturers.
The building itself is a three-bay, two-storey Georgian townhouse. It has a raised basement and granite facing. Ashlar calp walls stand on the sides and rear. Brown brick chimneystacks rise above. A pyramidal roof hides partially behind a parapet.
In 2021, a hotel development was proposed. It was planned for 1-4 Merchant’s Arch laneway. This plan was controversially granted planning permission. Many citizens of Dublin were disgusted. They learned that Merchant’s Arch was due to be altered. Some of its surrounding buildings would be demolished. A new hotel would be erected.
The proposal doesn’t involve demolishing the building itself. It also doesn’t affect its iconic arch through to Meeting House Square. Instead, it would remove buildings adjoining the arch. These buildings are at 1-4 Merchants Arch. A “boutique” 9-bedroom hotel would replace them. It would also have a ground-floor restaurant.
Many worry that this would change the area’s nature. The archway is among Dublin’s most familiar sights. Anything that changes its atmosphere may harm the city’s character.
The architect, Frederick Darley, was from a Dublin family of stone-cutters. The family diversified into builders, developers, and architects. Frederick Darley the younger is responsible for Merchant’s Arch.
Trade Guilds were a medieval institution across Europe. They controlled access to various trades. They regulated standards, education, and training. The Guilds had patron saints. They maintained a presence at a church.
In Dublin, there were between twenty and twenty-five guilds. The Guild of Merchants was at the top. They had the most power. Guilds used to organize pageants and religious plays. This happened particularly around Corpus Christi.
The guilds’ political dominance lasted until 1840 in Britain and Ireland. The reform act of the previous year swept away centuries of rights. Most guilds died out within decades. Their functions were largely taken over. Professional bodies and trade unions stepped in.
The Merchants Guild were not in the Wellington Quay building for very long. Yet, they built it. The endless shifts by guilds are consistent with Dublin’s character. Saving the surviving structures is now vital. Maintaining the character of surrounding streets matters. Merchants’ D 1970 reminds us of this.