Survey Data
Reg No
12000152
Rating
National
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
House
Date
1760 - 1770
Coordinates
250828, 155868
Date Recorded
16/06/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced three-bay two-storey over part-raised basement house, post-1763, originally forming part of larger seven-bay two-storey over part-raised basement composition with house to west incorporating fabric of earlier range, c.1600, with elliptical-headed carriageway to left. Subdivided, pre-1850. Renovated, 2004, with carriageway remodelled. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, red brick Running bond chimney stack, and iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Painted rendered, ruled and lined walls with rendered stringcourse to first floor. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, and six-over-six timber sash windows having replacement two-over-two timber sash windows, pre-1850, to rear (south) elevation. Square-headed door opening in shared elliptical headed door opening approached by flight of six cut-limestone steps with limestone ashlar Doric doorcase, pre-1850, having frieze, archivolt, and timber panelled door having fanlight. Elliptical-headed carriageway to left with replacement inscribed cut-limestone-clad surround, 2004, having keystone, red brick voussoirs, and red brick soffits. Interior with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Road fronted with sections of wrought iron railings, pre-1850, to front on cut-limestone plinth having open work piers, and shared wrought iron double gates.
Appraisal
An elegantly-composed house of national significance originally forming part of a larger composition with the range adjoining to west (12000151/KK-4766-09-151) rebuilt to designs prepared by Thomas Barnes (n. d.) in the mid eighteenth century incorporating the fabric of an early seventeenth-century house damaged by the flooding of the adjacent River Nore: evidence of the earlier range survives to the present day in the form of thick wall masses highlighting the archaeological significance of the site. Occupying an important site in the centre of Kilkenny the house is identified by characteristics including a finely-carved shared doorcase representing a feature recurrent in the architectural heritage of the locality (including 12000090 - 1, 122 - 3/KK-4766-09-90 - 1, 122 - 3). Despite renovation works over the centuries the house presents an early aspect with some vital early features surviving intact including to the interior. The house remains of additional importance in the locality for the historic connections with George Matthews (n. d.) and Derby Egan (n. d.) together with an episode relating to the Civil War (1921-5) manifested in the form of bullet holes reputedly marking the wall fabric.