Architectural Dublin / Biographies / Benjamin Woodward (1816-1861)

Benjamin Woodward (1816-1861) was born in Tullamore, County Offaly. He was trained as an Engineer but developed an interest in medieval architecture, producing measured drawings of Holy Cross Abbey County Tipperary. These drawings were exhibited at the RIBA in London in 1846. That year he joined the office of Thomas Deane and became a partner in 1851 along with Thomas Newenham Deane. It seems that Deane left the design work to Woodward while he looked after financial matters. His two most important building are Trinity Museum (1854-57) and the Oxford Museum (1854-60). He was also responsible for the Kildare Street Club (1858-61). The work of Deane and Woodward is characterised by naturalistic decoration with foliage and animals carved into capitals and plinths around windows and doors.