Survey Data
Reg No
50930102
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
In Use As
Apartment/flat (converted)
Date
1815 - 1825
Coordinates
316650, 233149
Date Recorded
25/09/2015
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Attached two-bay four-storey over basement former townhouse, built c. 1820, with two-stage return to rear (east). Now in use as apartments. Pitched roof to west with hipped south section, irregular M-profiled hipped roofs to rear (east) span, concealed by brick parapet with masonry coping. Shouldered rendered chimneystacks to north party wall with lipped yellow clay pots. Parapet gutters, cast-iron hopper and downpipe to north end. Brown brick walling laid in Flemish bond, rendered walling to basement beneath granite plinth course. Square-headed window openings with brick voussoirs, patent reveals and largely masonry sills. Timber sliding sash windows; possibly original six-over-six and three-over-three to second floor and third floor respectively, eight-over-eight to basement with convex horns and one-over-one late-nineteenth century replacements to ground and first floors with ogee horns. Decorative cast-iron balconettes to ground, first floor and second floor openings. Round-headed door opening with brick voussoirs, moulded reveals and recessed surround containing panelled frieze with garlands and moulded cornice carried on fluted Doric columns over plinth stops, with plain fanlight and raised-and-field timber panelled door having brass furniture. Granite entrance platform with cast-iron boot scraper, approached by two granite steps flanked by iron railings with decorative cast-iron corner posts on granite plinth, enclosing basement to north-side. Coal-hole cover to pavement. Concrete steps to basement. Street fronted on Fitzwilliam Street Upper. Modernised two-storey mews building to rear (east) plot, concealed behind roughly coursed and squared limestone rubble wall lining Lad Lane, pierced by a round-headed carriage-arch and pedestrian opening with dressed stone surrounds and replacement timber doors.
Appraisal
This former townhouse retains its traditional form and proportions, mellow brick which contrasts with the granite dressings, well executed ironwork, and a handsome Doric doorcase. The development of Fitzwilliam Street Upper began on the north-end of the western side during the early-nineteenth century. Taken as a whole with Fitzwilliam Street Upper and the east-side of the Merrion Square, this uninterrupted stretch constitutes the longest piece of Georgian streetscape in Dublin. Although largely homogenous in character and form, the subtle variations between the houses are indicative of the speculative nature of development.