Survey Data
Reg No
50011040
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
In Use As
Apartment/flat (converted)
Date
1800 - 1810
Coordinates
316167, 235452
Date Recorded
16/11/2011
Date Updated
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Description
Terraced two-bay four-storey house over exposed basement, built, c.1805, as one of group of four identical houses. Now in mixed use. Double-pile slate roof, hipped to north of front pile and hipped to rear. Roof hidden behind parapet wall with granite coping and rendered chimneystacks to south party wall. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond (possibly refaced c.1900) rebuilt in yellow brick to top floor. Chamfered granite plinth course above painted 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, six-over-six pane to lower floors and three-over-three pane to top floor. Decorative bowed wrought-iron balconettes to first floor. Rear has round-headed stairs windows, one six-over-six pane with spoked upper sash, eight-over-eight pane to ground, first and second floors, and three-over-three pane to top floor. Gauged brick round-headed door opening with rendered reveal and painted stone Ionic doorcase. Replacement timber panelled door flanked by engaged Ionic columns, plain sidelights and quarter engaged responding Ionic pilasters supporting fluted stepped lintel cornice and replacement decorative fanlight. Door opens onto shared granite platform with cast-iron bootscraper, dividing iron railing and five granite steps bridging basement. Platform and basement enclosed by original wrought-iron railings and cast-iron corner posts set on granite plinth wall to street with matching iron gate providing basement access. 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 identical houses developed by the stuccodore Charles Thorpe and built later than those adjoining to the north, No. 30 retains a good doorcase, original ironmongery and simple joinery and plasterwork to the interior. The retention of timber sash windows throughout contributes to the historic architectural character of the building, and the stone plinth and steps and the iron railings provide a typically high-quality setting. The four houses 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 but nonetheless forms an important component part of the overall set-piece that is Mountjoy Square.