Survey Data
Reg No
12001055
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural
Original Use
House
In Use As
House
Date
1765 - 1770
Coordinates
250709, 155643
Date Recorded
17/06/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced three-bay three-storey over part-raised basement Classical-style house, built 1769, originally three-bay two-storey incorporating fabric of earlier house, c.1600, with square-headed carriageway to left. Now in use as guesthouse. One of a pair. Pitched (shared) slate roof with clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone polygonal chimney stacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-limestone eaves having iron ties. Painted rendered walls with cut-limestone dressings including chamfered course to basement, quoins to ends, stringcourses to each floor, shared round-headed recesses to ground and to first floor having sills, surrounds, springcourses, and shared oculus recess to top floor having surround. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills (forming sill course to first floor), cut-limestone surrounds, six-over-six and three-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows. Elliptical-headed window openings to basement in tripartite arrangement in square-headed frame with cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, hood moulding over, and timber casement windows having iron bars. Round-headed door opening approached by flight of nine cut-limestone steps with carved limestone architrave having keystone, channelled archivolt having keystone, and timber panelled door having fanlight. Square-headed carriageway to left with cut-limestone block-and-start surround, and replacement timber panelled double doors, pre-1992, having overpanel. Interior with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Road fronted with sections of iron railings to front on limestone ashlar plinth having moulded cut-limestone coping.
Appraisal
A Classically-composed substantial house representing an important element of a cohesive pair of houses (with 12001054/KK-4766-14-54) presenting an attractive landmark of formal quality in Patrick Street Lower. Incorporating the fabric of an earlier range on site as evidenced by the presence of medieval stone fragments the house also forms a vital component of the archaeological heritage of Kilkenny. Elsewhere, further fine cut-limestone dressings displaying high quality stone masonry supplement the elegant architectural design significance of the site. Having been well maintained the house retains most of the original composition qualities together with substantial quantities of the early fabric both to the exterior and to the interior, thereby making a positive impression in an historic setting.