Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Alexander Hardy, of Armagh, was appointed inspecting architect under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland in 1854.(1) Perhaps initially based in Omagh,(2) he was in Derry by 1858.(3) He appears in the Derry Almanac for 1868 as the Diocesan Architect for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, practising from Clarendon Street.

See WORKS; see also JOHN HARDY. JOHN HARDY.



References



(1) B 12, 24 Jun 1854, 339.; Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal 17 (Jul 1854), 278.
(2) A plan and letter sent by Hardy presumably to Joseph Welland about the extension of the Killea church, Co. Donegal, in RCB Library, portfolio 25, is dated 1856 and signed 'A. Hardy, Omagh'.
(3) 2 letters from Hardy to Joseph Welland about additions to Clones church, written from Derry in 1858, are in, in RCB library, portfolio 3.


22 work entries listed in chronological order for HARDY, ALEXANDER


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Building: CO. DERRY, EGLINTON, CHURCH OF ST CANICE (CI, FAUGHANVALE PARISH)
Date: 1853
Nature: Survey drawing by AH, Aug 1853, showing new N & S transepts, robing room, new window in N.wall, in RCB. Architect: J. Welland.
Refs: RCB Library, portfolio 10A; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 273

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, BROOKEBOROUGH, CHURCH OF ST LASAIR (CI, AGHAVEA OR AUGHAVEA PARISH)
Date: 1855-57
Nature: Proposed improvements, including new chancel and robing room. Reopened after being 'put in complete repair', Apr 1857.
Refs: Drawing for addition of new chancel and robing room signed Hardy in RCB Library, portfolio 3;  Armagh Guardian, 18 May 1855; 24 Apr 1857;  Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 149

Building: CO. DERRY, GARVAGH, CHURCH OF ST PAUL (CI, ERRIGAL PARISH)
Date: 1856
Nature: Sketch plan of church with notes of proposed adds & alts.(repewing, new vestry) by A. Hardy, April 1856, in RCB.
Refs: RCB Library, portfolio 10A

Building: CO. DONEGAL, CARRIGANS, CHURCH OF ST FIACH (CI, KILLEA PARISH)
Date: 1856p
Nature: E extension and chancel.
Refs: Plan and letter from A. Hardy, Omagh, (presumably to J. Welland), 1856, noting that 'Clergyman wishes the lights of the new East Window to have similar (semi-O) heads'.

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, CLONES, DIAMOND, CHURCH OF ST TIGHERNACH (CI)
Date: 1858
Nature: Proposed new transepts & galleries. Clerk of Works: A. Hardy.
Refs: Drawings of proposed new transepts and galleries and 2 letters from A. Hardy, Derry, 1858, to J. Welland in RCB Library, portfolio 3;  Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 272. 

Building: CO. DONEGAL, FAHAN, CHURCH OF ST MURA (CI, FAHAN UPPER PARISH)
Date: 1858
Nature: Sketch of new robing room and N. windows, new pulpit and seats, signed and dated 'A. Hardy Aug 1858',in RCB.
Refs: RCB Library, portfolio 10a

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, SCOTSHOUSE, CHURCH OF ST ANDREW (CI, CURRIN PARISH)
Date: 1859
Nature: Sundry works, including new windows, at church dating from 1810-12.
Refs: Drawing for new windows in nave and chancel, signed A.H[ardy], 1859, in RCB Library, portfolio 3; DB 1, 1 Sep 1859, 115; B 17, 17 Sep 1859, 615; exterior of church illus. in Clergy of Clogher (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2006), 35.

Building: CO. CAVAN, BILLIS, CHURCH OF ST BARTHOLOMEW (CI)
Date: 1859-1860
Nature: Proposed enlargement by adding extra bay to nave, passage and robing room to S, enlarging chancel, with W porch and door. Tenders open Jul 1860.
Refs: Sketch plan, signed A. Hardy, Derry, 12 Apr 1859, and unsigned drawings (also by Hardy?), Aug 1860, in RCB Library, portfolio 20; DB 2, 1 Jul 1860, 301

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, CATHEDRAL OF ST COLUMB (CI)
Date: 1859-1862
Nature: Extensive adds & alts. Work supervised after Joseph Welland's death by Welland & Gillespie. Builder: James Henry. AH involved in survey work.
Refs: Drawings, some signed by Welland & Gillespie, Oct 1861, others unsigned and undated, and some sketches by A. Hardy, in RCB Library, portfolio 10; DB 1, 1 Aug 1859, 104; 4, 15 Apr,15 May 1862, 89,123; Simon Walker, Historic Ulster Churches (Institute of Irish Studies, 2000), 22

Building: CO. DONEGAL, KILLYBEGS, CHURCH OF ST JOHN (CI)
Date: 1859-62
Nature: Eastward extension with polygonal chancel. Preliminary survey by A. Hardy. Extension designed by Welland & Gillespie?
Refs: Survey drawing by A. Hardy, 1859, and unsigned plan of extension, 1862, ?by W & G, in RCB Library, portfolio 25; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 332

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, DRUM, CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1860
Nature: AH makes survey of existing church prior to enlargement.
Refs: Signed survey drawing in RCB Library, portfolio 3A

Building: CO. CAVAN, BELTURBET, CHURCH (CI, ANNAGH PARISH)
Date: 1860-61
Nature: New robing room with fireplace, new sittings. Rough survey plan signed by A. Hardy, who may have been responsible for design.
Refs: Rough plan of church, with incumbent's requirements listed, signed A. Hardy, Derry, 28 Mar 1860, drawings signed by Welland & Gillepie and transfer of contract drawings dated 9 Mar 1861, in RCB Library, portfolio 20; IAA, PKS A03 (Oct 1860, p.38v), L1 (p.70)

Building: CO. DONEGAL, GREENCASTLE, CHURCH OF ST FINIAN (CI, MOVILLE LOWER PARISH)
Date: 1860s?
Nature: Survey by AH in connection with addition of new chancel and robing room, new seating, pulpit &c. (Was AH also the architect for these?)
Refs: Unsigned, undated designs and undated survey by AH in RCB Library, portfolio 10A

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, LACK, CHURCH (CI, COOLAGHTY PARISH)
Date: 1861
Nature: Proposed gallery.
Refs: Plan and section showing proposed gallery, signed and dated 'A. Hardy, July 1861' in RCB Library, portfolio 3.

Building: CO. CAVAN, COOTEHILL, CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS (CI, DRUMGOON PARISH)
Date: 1861-62
Nature: Proposed new S transept and porch. Survey by A. Hardy, who may therefore possibly have designed the addition.
Refs: Rough sketch survey, signed A. Hardy, 19 Feb 1861, and drawings for proposed new transpt, signed Welland & Gillespie, 16 Mar 1861, in RCB Library, portfolio 20; DB 4, 1 May 1862, 112

Building: CO. TYRONE, LISLIMNAGHAN, CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY (CI)
Date: 1862
Nature: New church in Early English style 'after the plans furnished by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners'. intended as memorial fo the late George Spiller, by his mother, at whose sole expense the church has been erected and endowed. Mrs Spiller has also built glebe house on 4 acres of land. Erection of church superintended by Mr Hardy, diocesan architect. Consec. late 1862. Builder: Mullan.
Refs: DB 4, 1 Nov 1862, 283

Building: CO. TYRONE, STRABANE, CHURCH (CI, CAMUS-JUXTA-MOURNE PARISH)
Date: 1862
Nature: Survey sketch of 17th cent. church. Note syas that 'The entire building is dashed and of a very plain character. The eastern window & window of south transept have the remains of stone jambs, all the other windows are revealed'.
Refs: Survey sketch and note intialled AH, Jul 1862, in RCB Library, portfolio 10

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, ENNISKILLEN, CHURCH STREET, CATHEDRAL OF ST MACARTAN (CI)
Date: 1862
Nature: Signed
Refs:

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, DERRYBRUSK, CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL (CI)
Date: 1863
Nature: Sundry works to be carried out under direction of the architects to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners., Sep 1863.  'I have always understood that the Nave of this Church was originally built as a schoolhouse...at some date subsequent to 1856 but before 1868, it must have been transformed into a church.'(Leslie)
Refs: Drawing of proposed porch and belfry, signed A. Hardy, Derry, Sep 1863, also design for robing room, 1867, in RCB Library, portfolio 3A; DB 5, 1 Jan 1863, 11;  J.B. Leslie, Clogher Clergy and Parishes (1929), 157;  illus. in Clergy of Clogher  (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2006), 36.

Building: CO. CAVAN, KILDALLON, CHRIST CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1865
Nature: AH surveys and makes sketch plan of old T-plan church before its re-orientation by Welland & Gillespie.
Refs: Sketch plan by Alexander Hardy, 2 Dec 1859, in RCB Library, portfolio 20.

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, SCOTSHOUSE, CHURCH OF ST ANDREW (CI, CURRIN PARISH)
Date: 1866
Nature: Re-seating and cleaning, for Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Contractor: Henry Sharpe.
Refs: Signed and dated drawings in RCB Library, portfolio 3.; DB 8, 15 May 1866, 133

Building: CO. TYRONE, DRUMQUIN, CHURCH (CI, LANGFIELD LOWER PARISH)
Date: 1867
Nature: AH surveyor for rebuilding of chancel, retaining old E window.
Refs: Undated survey drawing by AH in RCB Library, portfolio 10A;Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 253