Survey Data
Reg No
50920162
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical
Original Use
House
In Use As
Embassy
Date
1830 - 1850
Coordinates
315881, 233247
Date Recorded
08/09/2015
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced three-bay four-storey former townhouse over basement, built c. 1840, with full-height return to rear, as a pair with no.92 (50920163) and having shared integral carriage-arch. Now in use as embassy. Pitched roofs, hipped to east-side of return, rendered and shouldered chimneystacks to west having clay pots, ashlar stone parapet with moulded cornice and granite coping, concealed rainwater goods. Brick walls laid to Flemish bond over rusticated granite to walling to ground floor and ashlar limestone to basement; continuous granite sill course to first floor shared with adjacent former church to west (50920161). Square-headed window openings, largely with projecting granite sills, patent reveals and brick voussoirs. Cast-iron balconettes to first floor windows. Largely six-over-six replacement timber sliding sashes, three-over-three to third floor, tripartite opening to basement having panelled granite mullions flanked by two-over-two sashes with cast-iron bars affixed to sill. Round-headed doorcase with fluted Doric columns supporting plain frieze and cornice with mutules. Original timber-panelled bowtelll moulded door with raised field and brass furniture, ornate leaded fanlight. Integral round-headed carriage-arch to eastern-bay, having mutules to timber cornice and frieze, with moulded overdoor and cast-iron gates. Paved granite entrance platform accessed via six granite steps, decorative cast-iron railings over granite plinth, enclosing basement well. Plainly detailed flush timber door to basement located under entrance platform, accessed by recent timber staircase. Ornately plastered ceilings evident to interior of ground floor. Street-fronted on the south side of St. Stephen’s Green, abutted by former Methodist Centenary Church (50920161) to the west.
Appraisal
Built as part of a handsome pair, this well-proportioned Georgian-style townhouse is a fine example its type. Built by David Henry, who also lived in one of the pair, it retains much of its historic fabric and character. The rusticated ground floors, restrained detailing, diminishing window proportions, impressive classical-style doorcase and cast-ironwork are important features which contribute to the streetscape character of St. Stephen’s Green. The carriage-arch is an unusual detail in a high class residential street, although there are a number of them on this side of the Green. These two houses complement the neighbouring Methodist Church to such a degree that Casey (2005) speculates they were built in tandem.