Survey Data

Reg No

50020298


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Social


Previous Name

James Pim and Co.


Original Use

House


In Use As

Shop/retail outlet


Date

1810 - 1830


Coordinates

316142, 234392


Date Recorded

24/03/2015


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Terraced two-bay four-storey over basement former house and shop, built c.1820, having shopfront to front (north) elevation. Now in use as offices. Pitched slate roof with flat roof to rear, behind cut granite parapet with carved granite cornice, shared brown brick chimney with clay pots. Red brick, laid in Flemish bond to upper wall to front, cut granite platband over ashlar granite to ground floor, cast-iron bracket and arm to first floor. Square-headed window openings having rendered reveals, masonry sills, and six-over-three pane and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to front, Wyatt windows with bars to basement. Shopfront comprising carved granite arcade having central elliptical-headed opening flanked by round-headed openings, panelled pilasters supporting carved architraves, platband at impost level, recent fascia to entablature, smooth rendered walls to basement. Timber-framed display window with spoked fanlight, granite sill and panelled riser to centre. Round-headed door openings having petal fanlights over double-leaf half-glazed and timber panelled doors. Granite steps with wrought-iron gates, wrought-iron railings having cast-iron finials, on carved granite plinth, enclosing basement area to centre. Sited to centre of Burgh Quay.

Appraisal

This house, along with its neighbours to the west, were designed to the standard of the Wide Street Commission. They were built, in the early nineteenth century, when Burgh Quay was constructed on land which had been cleared to connect Aston Quay and George's Quay. As well as a residence over the shop, this building was used as a fish merchants', corn merchants’ and shipping broker’s office, attesting to the significance of the quays to adjacent commercial activity, and to the commercial heart of Dublin. The retention of the stone entablature and arcaded shopfront, is replicated on some of the neighbouring buildings, suggesting that this was the original shopfront for the terrace. It retains much of its original form and character, a shared parapet height and cornice and fenestration arrangement with its neighbours, creating a sense of unity on the streetscape. Carved granite is used to good effect on the cornice and shopfront, providing textural and tonal variation to the red brick of the façade, as well as placing the building within an early commercial context. The quality of artisanship apparent in its execution makes it an attractive focal point, with elegant fanlights further enhancing the aesthetic and heritage value of the building.