Survey Data
Reg No
50011039
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
In Use As
Apartment/flat (converted)
Date
1800 - 1810
Coordinates
316172, 235447
Date Recorded
16/11/2011
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced two-bay four-storey house over raised basement, built, c.1805, as one of group of four identical houses. Now in mixed use. Double-pile slate roof, pitched to front, hipped to rear. Roof hidden behind parapet wall with granite coping and rendered chimneystacks to both party walls having octagonal clay pots to the south. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond to painted chamfered granite plinth course above painted ruled-and-lined rendered basement walls. Yellow brick walls to rear elevation laid in Flemish bond. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings with patent rendered reveals, painted granite sills and replacement timber sliding sash windows throughout, three-over-three pane to top floor and six-over-six pane to lower floors. Decorative wrought-iron balconettes to first floor. Rear has round-headed timber sliding sash stair windows, eight-over-eight pane lower floors, three-over-three pane to second floor and replacement timber casements to top floor. Gauged brick round-headed door opening with rendered reveal and painted stone Ionic doorcase. Replacement timber panelled door with plain jambs flanked by engaged Ionic columns and blocked up sidelights with fluted stepped lintel cornice and replacement fanlight. Door opens onto granite platform and five granite steps bridging basement. Platform and basement enclosed by original wrought-iron railings set on granite plinth wall to street with matching iron gate providing basement access via steel steps. Single-storey over basement rendered flat-roofed return obscuring lower stairs window. Rear site redeveloped along with those of neighbouring houses to north as apartment complex and now in separate ownership.
Appraisal
Mountjoy Square was built on lands formerly belonging to Saint Mary’s Abbey and laid out in 1790 by Luke Gardiner II and completed by 1818. One of a group of four houses developed by the stuccodore Charles Thorpe and built later than those adjoining to the north, No. 31 has lost some original external fabric but retains original ironmongery and simple joinery and plasterwork to the interior. The retention of timber sash windows contributes significantly to the historic architectural character of the building, and the retention of iron railings and stone plinth and steps provides a typical high-quality treatment to the street edge. The four houses also have higher platforms and doorcases than the rest of the terrace, an unusual instance of a lack of conforming to the overall design of the square adding to the subtle variety while forming part of the set-piece that is Mountjoy Square.