Survey Data

Reg No

15500003


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social


Previous Name

Richmond House


Original Use

House


Historical Use

Convent/nunnery


In Use As

School


Date

1790 - 1795


Coordinates

304115, 122387


Date Recorded

23/06/2005


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Attached three-bay three-storey over basement house, built 1792, on a square plan with three-bay single-storey flat-roofed projection to ground floor centred on prostyle distyle portico; four-bay full-height rear (north) elevation. In alternative use, 1882. "Improved", 1903. Occupied, 1911. Renovated, ----, to accommodate continued alternative use. Flat topped hipped slate roof on a quadrangular plan with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks to axis with ridge having "Cyma Recta" or "Cyma Reversa" cornices below capping supporting terracotta pots, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered slate flagged eaves retaining cast-iron downpipes. Rendered walls. Hipped segmental-headed central door behind prostyle distyle portico approached by three cut-granite steps with encaustic tiled threshold, doorcase with panelled pilasters on panelled pedestals supporting shallow cornice, and concealed dressings framing replacement glazed timber door having sidelights below overlight. Round-headed window opening (first floor) with cut-granite sill, and concealed dressings framing replacement uPVC fitting replacing eight-over-eight timber sash window having fanlight overlight. Square-headed window opening in bipartite arrangement (top floor) with cut-granite sill, and concealed dressings framing replacement uPVC casement windows replacing four-over-four timber sash windows. Grouped square-headed window openings in tripartite arrangement (ground floor) with concrete sills, and concealed dressings framing six-over-six timber sash windows. Square-headed window openings (upper floors) with cut-granite sills, and concealed dressings framing replacement uPVC casement windows replacing nine-over-six (first floor) or six-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows. Square-headed window openings to rear (north) elevation with cut-granite sills, and concealed dressings framing replacement uPVC casement windows replacing six-over-six (ground floor), nine-over-six (first floor) or six-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows. Interior including (ground floor): vestibule with plasterwork cornice to ceiling; segmental-headed door opening into hall with fanlight. Set back from street in landscaped grounds with rendered piers to perimeter having cut-granite shallow pyramidal capping supporting arrow head-detailed wrought iron double gates.

Appraisal

A house erected by Charles Lennox (1764-1819), fourth Duke of Richmond, representing an important component of the late eighteenth-century domestic built heritage of Wexford with the architectural value of the composition confirmed by such attributes as the compact square plan form centred on a Classically-detailed doorcase demonstrating good quality workmanship; and the diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a graduated visual impression: meanwhile, aspects of the composition clearly illustrate the continued development or "improvement" of the house at the turn of the twentieth century with those works including "Classical Additions" ascribed to William Henry Byrne (1844-1917) of Suffolk Street, Dublin (DIA). Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with quantities of the original fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior: however, the introduction of replacement fittings to most of the openings has not had a beneficial impact on the character or integrity of a house forming part of a self-contained group alongside an adjoining convent (see 15500002) and school (see 15500004) with the resulting ensemble making a pleasing visual statement in a setting presently (2005) undergoing extensive "suburban" redevelopment. NOTE: Occupied by Alderman John Greene JP (1803-90), Mayor of Wexford (fl. 1854; 1863-4; 1867; 1873-5; cf. 15703761); and William White (1803-65) 'late of Richmond House County Wexford' (Calendars of Wills and Administrations 1866, 350).