The Quay at Waterford

Artist(s): Thomas Creswick (Draughtsman), Robert Brandard (Engraver)

View of the quay in Waterford. A soldier is sprawled against bales in the foreground, near the edge of the quay, with his rifle on the ground beside a jug. There are casks beside him and a woman standing nearby. Several other people are on the quay, boats and ships are moored along the river, with a horse and cart and other vehicles on the street. A single lamppost stands on the left of the quay. Reginald’s Tower is prominent on the left-hand side of the image.

Inscribed in Image

  • Signature – T. Creswick. / R. Brandard. / Printed by Alfred Adlard.
  • Caption outside of boundaries of image – The Quay at Waterford, Waterford.

Image Details

Genre Townscape
Technique Etchings
Subject(s) Cities and towns, Forts and fortifications, Transportation
Geographical Location
  • Munster – Province
  • Waterford – County
  • Waterford – Town or city
Keyword(s) Boats, Bridges, Carriages & coaches, Carts, Castles, Crowds, Firearms, Harbours, Horses, Lampposts, Mansions, Passengers, Peasants, People, Rivers, Shawls, Ships, Soldiers, Women
Colour Monochrome
Dimensions 10.9 cm x 11.8 cm
Published / created 1837

Bibliographical Details

Travel Account Ireland Picturesque and Romantic
Contributor(s)
Print or manuscript Print
Location of image in copy opp. p. 129
Source copy National Library of Ireland Ir 9141 r 15
Alternative source

This is a link to a digital copy hosted by an external website.

 http://hdl.handle.net/2027/yale.39002001929075?urlappend=%3Bseq=170
Permalink https://ttce.universityofgalway.ie/irelandillustrated/view/image/ii_image_1368111082
Rights Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Related text from travel account

The ride from Ross to Waterford is not interesting till we approach very near the latter; but no sooner do we begin to cross a splendid wooden bridge over the Suir than, without the smallest preparation, we find before us what appears to be a splendid city. I say appears; for there is nothing in Waterford to realize the expectation excited by its quay. This is the finest city promenade in Ireland; and is not excelled by any thing of the kind I recollect elsewhere, except the quays of St. Petersburg. It forms one unbroken line an English mile in length; with a portion at the water side railed off from the carriage road the whole way. The annexed view is taken from the opposite end of the quay, in order to present in the foreground its most conspicuous object, Reginald's Tower, or the Ring Tower as it is called by the lower classes of // the people. Its Irish name, although probably not the most ancient one, is Dundery, or the King's Fort; and its history may be read in brief in the following inscription placed over the doorway. "In the year 1003, this Tower was erected by Reginald the Dane — in 1171 was held as a Fortress by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke — in 1463, by statute 3rd of Edward IV., a Mint was established here — in 1819 it was re-edified in its original form, and appropriated to the Police Establishment by the corporate body of the City of Waterford." Besides the quay, there are several good streets in Waterford, but also an undue proportion of filth and misery. The very large exports of the place, of which I do not feel myself called upon to give an account, do not seem to include whisky; at least the number of places appointed for the home consumption of the article is beyond all reasonable bounds. One is reminded of the anecdote of the English troops landing at Waterford, when one of them, on giving a shilling (a thirteener) for a glass of this potion, and receiving back twelve pence in change, declared in a transport of joy, that this was the country for him — where whisky was to be had for nothing ! I perambulated the city a good deal; but either owing to my not being in the vein for sights, or to there actually being nothing to be seen, I find little worth transcribing from my notes. [pp. 129-130]
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