Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English architect, for whom see Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008), 901. James Sands, a pupil of LEWIS WYATT LEWIS WYATT , came to Ireland in or before 1824 to assist THOMAS ALFRED COBDEN  THOMAS ALFRED COBDEN with the building of Russellstown House, Co. Carlow, for William Duckett.(1) He is next heard of in Co. Derry, supervising the erection of the glebe houses at Ballyrashane (1827)(2) and Ballywillan (1828)(3) and also in Co. Down, where he and Cobden were awarded the contract for carrying out WILLIAM FARRELL' WILLIAM FARRELL' s design for completing the tower of Downpatrick cathedral in the spring of 1829.(4) He became a protegé of the 3rd Marquess of Downshire,(5) for whom he made plans of Hillsborough House, Co. Down, in 1844.(6)  The Marquess recommended him as architect for the new chapel-of-ease at Kilwarlin Lower, but was overridden by Archdeacon W.B. Mant, who preferred CHARLES LANYON CHARLES LANYON , architect to the Church Accommodation Society, which was providing substantial funding for the building.(7)  Sands was associated with the building of Groomsport House for J.W. Maxwell in 1844-7(8) and in 1846, prepared a designs for alterations to Greyabbey House (alias Rosemount), Co. Down.(9) He designed a new church at Scarva, Co. Down, in 1847.(10)

See also WILLIAM SANDS.  WILLIAM SANDS.

See WORKS, for Irish work only.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008). 901.

(1) Ainsworth Report, 259 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(2) A. Day, P. McWilliams & L. English, eds., Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol. 22, 48,55.
(3) A. Day, P. McWilliams & L. English, op. cit., Vol. 33, 33.
(4) J. Frederick Rankin, Down Cathedral (1997), 123.
(5) PRONI D671/C173/C (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44); Hugh Dixon, Ulster Architecture 1800-1900 (UAHS, 1973), 12 (no. 20).
(6) PRONI D671/P8/15A,B. In the same collection there is a perspective view of Hillsborough House by William Sands (D671/P8/14) who was presumably a member of the same family (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).  Among the Perceval-Maxwell Papers in PRONI, D1556, there is 'an abusive anonymous letter of 1844 [to John Waring Maxwell?] about the incompetence displayed by Sands as Lord Downshire's architect at Hillsborough' (see PRONI E-catalogue, Perceval-Maxwell Papers).
(7)   Fred Rankin, ed., Clergy of Down and Dromore (Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996), 142.
(8)   Hillsborough Castle (UAHS, 1993), 47, which states that he was 'responsible' for Groomsport House.
(9) 'Terrace Elevation', signed 'J. Sands, Dec 1846' in PRONI D671/P13/5 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44); Dixon, loc. cit., above.
(10) Clergy of Down & Dromore (Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996), 229(illus.)


10 work entries listed in chronological order for SANDS, JAMES #


Sort by date | Sort alphabetically


Building: CO. CARLOW, RUSSELLSTOWN PARK
Date: 1824
Nature: Agreement by T.A. Cobden with James Sands, architect, to build same.
Refs: Ainsworth Report 259 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44); Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (3rd edn., 1995), 847; Mark Bence-Jones, Burke’s Guide to Country Houses. Volume I, Ireland. (London, 1978), 251 (but cf. Newstown, p.225).

Building: CO. CARLOW, NEWSTOWN
Date: 1824-28
Nature: Remodelling and extension of existing house, with James Sands. For James(?) Eustace.
Refs: Mark Bence-Jones, Burke’s Guide to Country Houses. Volume I, Ireland. (London, 1978), 225

Building: CO. DERRY, BALLYRASHANE, GLEBE HOUSE
Date: 1827
Nature: Commenced Jul 1827, 100 yds to N of church; 'a good house but the approach...from the public road is not good, being between 2 office houses; neither is the ground...ornamented with planting'.
Refs: A. Day, P. McWilliams & L. English, eds., Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol. 22, 48,55.

Building: CO. DERRY, BALLYWILLAN, GLEBE HOUSE
Date: 1828
Nature: About 250 yds to S of church, 'built in 1828 under the superintendence of James Sands, architect, London'. Cost £600. 'The house is small and the grounds confined, but kept with extreme neatness by the present incumbent'.
Refs: A. Day, P. McWilliams & L. English, eds., Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol. 33, 33

Building: CO. DOWN, DOWNPATRICK, CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY TRINITY (CI)
Date: 1829
Nature: Completion of tower by 'Cobden and Sands' of London to design by William Farrell.
Refs: Clergy of Down and Dromore (Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996), Part 1, 102; J. Frederick Rankin, Down Cathedral (1997), 123.

Building: CO. DOWN, GARTREE, CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1831
Nature: New church, consecrated 1831.  'At Gartree, formerly a separate parish [from Killead]...a very handsome church was erected in 1831, under the auspices of Col. Pakenham, aided by a loan of £900 from the late Board of First Fruits:  the Ecclesaistical Commissioners have lately granted £315 for its repair.  At the entrance to the churchyard is a triumphal arch, erected in 1832, at the expense of the parishioners , in honour of Captain Armstrong, to whose memory it bears a long inscription.  It is endowed with £100 per annum by Col. Pakenham, the patron, who has built a handsome residence for the chaplain, and serves as a chapel of ease to the parochial church.'(Lewis).. 'Edward Sands, an Englishman' stated by James Boyle to have been architect of church.  Attr. by Brett to JS on this basis and on similarities of tower to that at Downpatrick Cathedral.
Refs: C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of County Antrim (UAHS, 1996), 51(illus.).


Building: CO. DOWN, HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE
Date: 1844
Nature: Plan of house for 3rd Marquess of Downshire.
Refs: Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn., 2008) , 901, citing Downshire MSS. in PRONI, D671/P8/15A.

Building: CO. DOWN, GROOMSPORT HOUSE (FORMERLY MAXWELL HOUSE)
Date: 1844-1847
Nature: 2-storey sandstone Jacobethan house. For J.W. Maxwell.
Refs: Letters from JS re the rebuilding of house and building of Groomsport church, 1841-1848, in PRONI, Perceval-Maxwell Papers, D1556 (see PRONI e-catalogue, Perceval-Maxwell Papers); Hillsborough Castle (UAHS, 1993), 47; Marcus Patton, Bangor: an historical gazetteer (UAHS, 1999), 66,68(illus.)

Building: CO. DOWN, GREYABBEY HOUSE
Date: 1846ca
Nature: Alterations, including porches at corners of entrance front . For Hugh Montgomery.
Refs: Plans & elevations, 1846,and estimate of £2,580, 18 Nov 1846, for 'sundry works', at Greyabbey House  (Archaeological Survey of County Down (1966), 405);  'Terrace Elevation', signed 'J. Sands, Dec 1846' in PRONI D671/P13/5 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44) (exh. Ulster Architecture 1800-1900 (UAHS, 1973), No. 20);  Jeremy Musson, 'Grey Abbey, Co. Down', Country Life, 30 Oct 1997, 50;  C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of North County Down (UAHS, 2002), 80-81(illus.).

Building: CO. DOWN, SCARVA, CHURCH OF ST MATTHEW (CI)
Date: 1847-1850
Nature: New church. FS laid by John Temple Reilly of Scarva House, 1 Sep 1847. Dedicated an consecrated 15 Sep 1850.
Refs: Fred Rankin, ed., Clergy of Down and Dromore , 229(illus.).