Workhouse Drawings Collection


The Workhouse Drawings collection contains a representative sample of drawings, plans, and documents drawn from the Irish Architectural Archive's Workhouse Collection. The Workhouse Collection (reference 85/138) in the Irish Architectural Archive includes surviving drawings for workhouses built in Ireland to provide relief for the poor. Built between 1839 and 1847, the workhouses were designed in a Tudor domestic idiom by architect George Wilkinson. Occasionally drawings are accompanied by other documents including the standard printed specification or, more rarely, items of correspondence. Many are in extremely poor condition and their extreme fragility precludes public access. This online collection provides access to drawings and documents relating to the Mallow, Castleblayney, Lismore, and Gorey workhouses. The drawings for Mallow Workhouse may be considered a representative set of the surviving drawings for the Tudor style workhouses built by Wilkinson. The majority of the drawings were produced mechanically (engraved and printed). The inclusion of drawings from Castleblayney, Lismore, and Gorey, in addition to those of Mallow, ensures that this online collection includes samples of each printed drawing.

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Circular relating to the windows for the new workhouses, Ireland


Circular from the Architects' Office, Poor Law Commission Office to clerks of works about the fitting of windows and instructions on keeping a notebook of 'every matter relating to the Building of a unsatisfactory nature'. This circular is from the documents relating to Castleblayney Workhouse.

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Circular relating to external doors


Circular from the Architects' Office, Poor Law Commission Office to clerks of works about the laying of flagging inside external doors and other details about the construction of external doors. This circular is from the documents relating to Castleblayney Workhouse.

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Circular relating to the frosts


Circular from the Architects' Office, Poor Law Commission Office to clerks of works advising them on actions to take in the event of frost damage. This circular is from the documents relating to Castleblayney Workhouse.

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Circular relating to the opening lights of the windows of the workhouses


Circular from the Architects' Office, Poor Law Commission Office to clerks of works about the proper construction and fitting of windows. This circular is from the documents relating to Castleblayney Workhouse.

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