page_title: Grangegorman
section_title: Richmond General Penitentiary
hierarchical_section_title: Grangegorman / History / Richmond General Penitentiary
caption_attribution_description: English: This is a diagram I have made based upon an original drawing (1811) by the architect Francis Johnston of the Richmond Penitentiary which was completed in 1818 (the foundation stone was laid in 1812). RIAI Murray Collection (92/46) Irish Architectural Archive
context_page_description: Grangegorman is a suburb on the northside of Dublin city, Ireland. The area is administered by Dublin City Council. It was best known for decades as the location of St Brendan's Hospital, which was the main psychiatric hospital serving the greater Dublin region. The area is currently the subject of a major redevelopment plan under the aegis of the Grangegorman Development Agency, including the new Technological University Dublin campus.
  Grangegorman is also a civil parish in the historical baronies of Dublin City and Coolock.
context_section_description: In 1810, the Governors of the House Industry were instructed by the Lord Lieutenant to purchase land for the construction of a penitentiary. They obtained a three half acre site from Lord Monck in Grangegorman which was at that time planted with apple and pear trees.  They were assigned the task of overseeing the building of the institution that would be known as the Richmond General Penitentiary. The architect appointed was Francis Johnston. The building was completed in 1816. It received its first prisoners in 1820.
caption: Architectural drawing of the Richmond General Penitentiary by Francis Johnston (1811)
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