Survey Data
Reg No
22500295
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Technical
Original Use
Store/warehouse
In Use As
Museum/gallery
Date
1870 - 1875
Coordinates
260460, 112643
Date Recorded
11/06/2003
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
End-of-terrace five-bay six-storey rubble stone warehouse, built 1872, on a corner site incorporating fabric of earlier warehouse, c.1800, originally with segmental-headed carriageway to left ground floor, and with twelve-bay six-storey side elevation to south-east. Extensively renovated, 1998, to accommodate use as museum and tourist office. Pitched roof on a U-shaped plan (forming hips to corners) with replacement fibre-cement slate, 1998, concrete ridge tiles, and replacement uPVC rainwater goods, 1998, on moulded red brick eaves. Random rubble stone walls to first four floors repointed, 1998, with rusticated limestone ashlar quoins to ground floor and red brick quoins to upper floors. Red brick Running bond walls to top floors repointed, 1998. Shallow segmental-headed window openings with no sills and red brick block-and-start surrounds. Replacement timber casement windows, 1998. Segmental-headed door opening remodelled, 1998, with replacement tooled limestone ashlar doorcase having rusticated blocks and keystone, and replacement glazed doors, 1998, with overlight. Outline of original segmental-headed carriageway to left ground floor with red brick relieving arch. Interior renovated, 1998, retaining cast-iron pillars supporting timber floors on timber beams. Road fronted on a corner site with concrete footpath to front and stone cobbled laneway along side (south-east) elevation.
Appraisal
This warehouse is a fine and imposing structure of balanced proportions that is of considerable significance for its associations with the continued development of a commercial and industrial centre in Waterford City centred about the quays. Extensively renovated in the late twentieth century, much of the works entailed have been carried out in keeping with the original integrity of the structure. The interior retains cast-iron supporting pillars, which are of technical interest. The warehouse remains an important landmark in the centre of Waterford City and is an attractive addition to the streetscape of Merchant’s Quay.