Our

Historic Building

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852), a renowned architect, was the creative force behind the J.J. Coppinger’s building. Son of a French draughtsman, Pugin developed an early interest in architecture and the Renaissance style, which he vigorously introduced to Victorian England. Notably, he designed the Palace of Westminster and the iconic clock tower, Big Ben. Pugin’s talents extended to Ireland, where he designed buildings for the Redmond family, including cathedrals in Gorey and Enniscorthy and the Seminary in Maynooth.

The J.J. Coppinger’s building, completed in 1851, was originally two Gothic-style townhouses with ground-floor shops, later combined into the Midleton Arms Hotel. Pugin, who also converted to Catholicism and designed numerous churches and notable structures like Adare Manor and St. Francis Xavier Church in New South Wales, left an indelible mark on Midleton, Co Cork, with this impressive building.