house

Terraced three-bay two-storey house, c.1790, retaining early fenestration with round-headed door opening to centre ground floor. Renovated, c.1940, with pair of timber shopfronts inserted to ground floor. Now disused. Gable-ended roof with slate. Clay ridge tiles. Red brick chimney stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods on eaves course. Rendered walls. Painted. Square-headed window openings to first floor. Stone sills. Early 6/6 timber sash windows. Round-headed door opening to centre ground floor. Timber panelled door. Overlight. Pair of timber shopfronts, c.1940, to ground floor with pilasters, fixed-pane timber display windows and timber panelled doors having timber fascias over with moulded cornices. Road fronted. Concrete brick cobbled footpath to front.

This house, which is now apparently disused and in fair condition, is a fine and attractive block of graceful, balanced proportions that retains some of its original form and much of its early character. The house is of considerable social and historical significance, representing the continued development of Leixlip in the late eighteenth century. Renovated to ground floor to accommodate a commercial use, the timber shopfronts are an attractive addition to the composition and allude to the true traditional Irish model – these features ought to be retained in any future renovation or development works to the house as early evidence of the commercialisation of the locality. The house retains many further important early features and materials, including a timber panelled door, multi-pane timber sash fenestration to the first floor and a slate roof having cast-iron rainwater goods – it is also possible that the interior retains features and fittings of significance. The house is an attractive and integral component of the streetscape of Main Street, continuing the established streetline of the street while contributing to the regular roofline of the terrace.