Crescent Clinic

Terraced two-pile three-storey former house over raised basement, built 1792 as one of twenty-five, having three-bay ground floor and two-bay upper floors, and with two-storey return to east end of rear. Now in use as dental practice. M-profile pitched slate roof, hipped to east end, with rendered chimneystacks and clay pots to west end, hidden behind rendered parapet having felted cornice and render eaves course, and with pitched roof to return. Ruled-and-lined rendered walling with cut granite plinth course above rendered basement walling. Square-headed window openings with rendered surrounds and masonry sills to upper floors, and timber sliding sash windows, three-over-three pane to top floor and six-over-six pane below to front elevation, and with timber sliding sash windows apparent to rear. Round-headed doorway with moulded render architrave, carved timber doorcase comprising panelled pilasters supporting timber frieze and cornice, cobweb fanlight, and timber panelled door, approached by three granite steps and platform with wrought-iron railing on moulded granite plinth wall. carparking to former front garden, bounded to footpath by replacement metal single-leaf and vehicular gates, and with yard to rear.

This house is part of a significant architectural set-piece, Marino Crescent, one of the few Georgian crescents in the city. Skilled artisanship is evident in the execution of the doorcase, which provides a focal point to the classically restrained façade. The crescent comprises houses with similar parapet heights and fenestration patterns, incorporating larger houses to the centre and west end. The house was built in the last decade of the eighteenth century to take advantage of the sea views, prior to land reclamation projects associated with the enlargement of Dublin Port. Built by Charles ffolliot, reputedly to spite Lord Charlemont, the houses blocked the vista from Marino House, and were locally known as Spite Crescent as a result.