Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

DUB
steps, and supporting a highly enriched cornice sur-
mounted by a triangular pediment, having on the apex a
statue of Moses, and at the ends those of Justice and
of Mercy. Through this portico is the principal entrance
into the great circular hall, opposite to which is a
passage to apartments connected with the courts, and
on each side are others leading to the two quadran-
gles. In the intervals between these four passages
are the entrances to the four chief courts; the Chancery
on the north-west, the King’s Bench on the north-east,
the Common Pleas on the south-east, and the Exchequer
on the south-west. The Rolls’ Court is held in an
apartment in the northern part of the central building,
between the Courts of Chancery and King’s Bench,
where also are other apartments used as a law library
and a coffee-room. The eastern wing, which forms the
northern and eastern sides of one quadrangle, is appro-
priated to the offices belonging to the Common Pleas
and some of those of the Chancery, the remainder of
which, with the King’s Bench and Exchequer offices,
are in the northern and western sides of the other wing.
A new building, for a Rolls Court and a Nisi Prius
Court, has been erected between the northern side of the
main building and Pill-lane, on a piece of ground pur-
chased for the purpose of isolating the courts, in
order to diminish the risk of fire, and to provide addi-
tional accommodation for the augmentation of legal pro-
ceedings. This stately and sumptuous structure was
begun by Mr. Thomas Cooley, architect, and completed
by Mr. Gandon, at an expense of about £200,000, and
the whole of the sculpture was executed by Mr. Edward
Smith, a native artist.
INNS OF COURT.
The King’s Inns are situated on a piece of elevated
ground of about three acres, formerly called the Primate’s
Garden, at the northern end of Henrietta-street, the
tenure of which having been deemed doubtful, as being
held under the Dean and Chapter of Christ-Church, was
secured to the society by act of parliament. The struc-
ture consists of a centre and two wings, each with a
back return; the principal front has a northern aspect,
looking towards the rear of the houses on Constitution
Hill, but the more usual approach for purposes of
business is at the rear through Henrietta-street. The
centre, which is crowned with an elegant octagonal
cupola and dome, forms a lofty arched gateway, with a
door on each side, leading into a confined area between
the wings, the northern of which contains the dining-
hall, and the southern, the Prerogative and Consistorial
Courts, and thorepository for the registration of deeds;
The Prerogative Court is established for the trial of all
testamentary cases where the testator has bequeathed
property in more than one diocese. Its jurisdiction is
vested in the Lord-Primate, under the acts of the 28th
of Hen. VIII. and 2nd of Eliz., which gives him power to
appoint the judge or commissary, who ranks next after
the judges of the supreme courts. In the Consistorial
Court are decided all cases of ecclesiastical jurisdiction
of the province of Dublin. The library of the King’s
Inns is kept in a separate building, erected in Henrietta-
street in 1827, at an expense of £20,000, after designs
by Mr. Darley: the upper story is a spacious apartment,
with recesses for the books and a gallery continued
all round; it contains a very extensive collection, which
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was partly the property of Christopher Robinson, Esq.,
senior puisne judge of the Court of King’s Bench; the
law books were chiefly selected by Earl Camden, Lord-
Chancellor. The library was entitled to one of the
eleven copies of new publications appropriated to the
public institutions under the late copyright act, which
right has been lately commuted for an equivalent in
money. The lower part of the building contains ac-
commodations for the librarian. Bankrupt cases were
tried before commissioners, appointed by the lord-chan-
cellor, of whom there were 25, arranged in five sets who
presided alternately; the court was held in an upper
apartment of the Royal Exchange. By a late act the
duties have been transferred to a single judge, under
the title of Commissioner of Bankruptcies. The court
for the relief of insolvent debtors was placed by an act of
the 2nd of Geo. IV. under the jurisdiction of two com-
missioners, to be appointed by the lord-lieutenant,
who hold their court in North Strand-street, with which
is connected a suite of offices on Lower Ormond Quay.
Prisoners under processes from the courts of justice
and insolvent debtors are confined in the Four Courts
Marshalsea, a large building in Marshalsea-lane, off
Thomas-street: the prison has two court-yards, two
chapels, several common halls and a ball-court. The
Law Club was instituted in 1791 by a number of the
most respectable solicitors and attorneys: the club-
house is a plain building in Dame-street. The Law
Society was formed in 1830; it proposes to form a law
library, and to erect a common hall for the purposes of
the society: the meetings are at present held in cham-
bers on the King’s Inns’ Quay. The Law Students’
Society, instituted in 1830, consists exclusively of law
students and barristers.
ECCLESIASTICAL STATE
Archiepiscopal See
of Dublin and Glenda-
lough.—The See of Dublin
comprehended both the dio-
ceses of Dublin and Glenda-
lough until the arrival of the
Danes, who having settled
themselves in the plain coun-
try on each side of the Lif-
fey, on their conversion to
Christianity established a
separate bishop, who de-
rived his spiritual authority
from the Archbishop of Canterbury and acknowledged
him as his superior. Donat, the first bishop of Dublin
chosen by the Danes, built the conventual and cathedral
church of the Holy Trinity, usually called Christ-Church,
about the year 1038. His successor, Patrick, on his elec-
tion by the people of Dublin, was sent to England to be
consecrated by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Gregory, the third in succession after Patrick, on proceed-
ing to England on a similar mission, carried with him a
letter from his flock, in which notice is taken of the ani-
mosity of the Irish bishops in consequence of their ac-
knowledgment of the jurisdiction of an English prelate.
In 1152 the see was raised to an archbishoprick by Car-
dinal Paparo,the Pope’s legate, who invested Gregory with
one of the four archiepiscopal palls brought from Rome.
Laurence O’Toole was the first archbishop who did not
go to England for consecration; the ceremony in his