Читать книгу The Book of Trinity College Dublin 1591-1891 онлайн

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I turn, in concluding this chapter, to the interesting question of the recognition of sports and games among the students—a recognition which reached its climax under Provost Hutchinson. The following passage gives us some facts and dates:—

There does not appear to have been any arrangement for the recreation of the Students inside the College until 1684, when we find the following entry on August 13:—“The ground for the Bowling-green was granted, and the last Commencement supper fees were allowed towards the making of it.” The bowling-green, which was near the present gymnasium and racquet-court, and probably on the site of the existing [lawn] tennis-courts, was maintained until early in this century, and a portion of the entrance fees of Fellow Commoners was applied to maintain it. On July 28, 1694, leave was given to build a fives-court at the east end of the Fellows’ garden. In Brooking’s map of Dublin there appears to have been, in 1728, a quadrangular walled-in court on the site of the present New Square, for the recreation of the Students. There were two gates giving access to this in the arches under numbers 23 and 25 in the Library Square, which is the oldest existing part of the College, and which was erected after [about] 1700. As the Students were prohibited from going out into the city without leave, it was obviously necessary that opportunities should be given for out-door amusements within the bounds; and the College Park had not been at this time laid out and planted. A number of small paddocks occupied at this period the site of the present Park; and the College Park, as we have it now, was first formed and planted with trees in 1722.ssss1