Hide Out

Attached two-bay four-storey over basement former townhouse, built c. 1770, with front railed basement area. Built as one of a pair with No. 50. Now in use as amusement arcade. Hipped slate roof with ridge running perpendicular to street and hidden behind rebuilt front parapet with granite coping and cast-iron hopper and downpipe breaking through to north end. Tall shouldered chimneystack to north party wall with lipped clay pots. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond with remnants of original lime wigging and rusticated masonry quoins to south end only. Timber-clad walls to basement below chamfered granite course. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings with patent rendered reveals, granite sills and uPVC windows. Two square-headed window openings to ground floor with fixed-pane display windows and further fixed-pane display window to basement. Round-headed door opening with stone Gibbs surround. Replacement flush door with stepped lintel cornice, plain glazed semi-circular fanlight framed by quoined architrave surround. Door opens onto granite platform and three granite steps bridging basement area. Basement and platform enclosed by cast-iron railings set on granite plinth. Steel steps provide access to basement.

A late eighteenth-century townhouse that has many external changes including uPVC windows, replacement front door and ground floor windows. Despite the changes, the building retains its overall composition and makes a cumulative contribution to the traditional appearance of this historic streetscape. The handsome doorcase is well executed and forms the building's decorative focus. According to Casey (2005) 'Unusually by Dublin standards, a central carriage-arch is shared by nos.49 and 50.' The two houses appear to have been built as a single project.