house

Detached three-bay two-storey house, built c.1780, having lean-to porch to north gable. Now disused. Pitched slate roof, red brick and rendered chimneystacks, stepped rendered chimneybreast with red brick chimneystack abutting rear (west) elevation. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast rendered walls, base batter to rear. Square-headed window openings having masonry sills and rendered reveals, three-over-three pane timber sash windows to first floor to front (east) elevation, raised render reveals and timber frame windows to ground floor. Boundary wall to north, having square-headed former door opening, red brick surround, raised render reveal, replaced with window opening having masonry sill and red brick riser, now blocked.

This building retains much of its early form and character, with the small windows, base batter and chimneybreast to the rear typical of vernacular architecture. The variety of window openings point to the organic development of the building to respond to changing needs, as opposed to a planned design. Some timber sash windows are retained, lending a patina of age to the house. It backs onto the officers' graveyard and is adjacent to the gate, indicating it was original part of the complex of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, and perhaps housed a groundskeeper or sexton. Buildings such as this are increasingly rare, particularly in urban contexts, due to modern alterations, demolition and dereliction, making this an important survival.