house

Terraced three-bay three-storey over basement Georgian house, c.1760, on a symmetrical plan with round-headed door opening to centre approached by flight of steps. Refenestrated, c.1990. Gable-ended roof behind parapet wall with slate. Clay ridge tiles. Rendered chimney stacks. Rendered coping to gables. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast walls. Painted. Rendered strips to ends. Cut-stone coping to parapet wall. Square-headed window openings. Stone sills. Replacement timber casement windows, c.1990. Round-headed door opening approached by flight of two stone steps. Replacement timber panelled door, c.1990, with sidelights. Decorative fanlight. Road fronted. Section of cast-iron railings to basement. Tarmacadam footpath to front.

This house is a fine, Classically-balanced substantial Georgian house of the late eighteenth century that has been well-maintained. The scale and fine detailing of the house suggest that it was originally built by a patron of high status in the locality, and it is therefore of social interest, representing the formal architecture employed by the middle class at the time. Of social and historic significance, the house represents a component of the early development of the historic core of Rathangan in the late eighteenth century. Composed of graceful proportions, the house has a positive impact on the streetscape of Main Street and forms a neat group with further sophisticated buildings on the street, attesting to the growing prosperity of the town. The house retains many important early or original features and materials, including sections of cast-iron railings to the basement and original materials to the roof – the re-instatement of timber sash fenestration might restore a more accurate representation of the original appearance of the house. Without extraneous ornamentation, the only concession to decoration is the fine doorway to centre ground floor, which contains a highly refined and delicate leaded fanlight, somewhat spoiled by modern door fittings below. The house is an important component of the architectural heritage of Rathangan and has been well-maintained for the benefit of future generations – the interior may retain early or original features and fittings of significance.