Survey Data

Reg No

50920176


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Historical


Original Use

House


In Use As

Office


Date

1775 - 1780


Coordinates

315759, 233204


Date Recorded

13/10/2015


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Terraced three-bay four-storey former townhouse over basement, built 1776-8, as a pair with No. 89 (50920177). Now in commercial office use. Pitched roof with hipped returns to rear with rendered chimneystack to south party wall having lipped yellow clay pots, concealed behind rebuilt brick parapet with masonry coping. Concealed gutters with cast-iron hopper and downpipe breaking through to south. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond over rendered basement with granite stringcourse. Square-headed window openings with projecting masonry sills, patent reveals and brick voussoirs. Six-over-six timber sliding sash windows, three-over-three to third floor. Round-headed door opening to northern bay with masonry doorcase comprising panelled pilasters rising to imposts supporting moulded architrave over cobwebbed fanlight. Eight panelled timber entrance door opening onto granite entrance platform with two steps to street flanked by cast-iron railings on granite plinth enclosing basement well to south. Street fronted onto the eastern side of Harcourt Street.

Appraisal

Harcourt Street was developed by John Hatch in the 1770s, but was only granted permission to fully develop the street by the Wide Street Commissioners in 1791. This former townhouse is a fine example of the typical Dublin Georgian idiom and makes an important contribution to the historic streetscape. Along with No. 89, and a house Hatch completed for himself in the middle of the west side, it dates to the early phase of building on the street. According to Casey (2005) 'Thomas Ivory built Nos. 89-90 in 1776-8, relatively modest houses with some original joinery, and a curious plan to No. 90 with a deep arched recess at the rear of the first-floor front room framing the entrance to the back room.'