house

Pair of attached four-bay two-storey over basement houses, built c.1830. Pitched slate roofs with rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. No.66 - Ruled-and-lined rendered walls with continuous sill course and string course to front (south) elevation, smooth rendered walls to rear (north) elevation. Square-headed window openings with chamfered heads, incised render surrounds with hood mouldings having moulded render foliate stops and replacement uPVC windows. Central window to first floor with incised pilasters having fluted brackets surmounted with closed bed pediment holding carved crest. One-over-one timber sliding sash windows to rear (north) elevation in patent render surrounds with stone sills. Square-headed door opening flanked by timber Ionic columns surmounted by timber cornice with moulded timber festoon, to uPVC double doors in multi-paned surround with multi-paned overlight. Accessed via balustraded terrace with flight of steps leading to garden. Round-headed door opening to rear elevation (now principal entrance) in moulded render surround with timber-and-leaded door flanked by Ionic pilasters surmounted by plain-glazed fanlight. Set back from road with ruled-and-lined rendered wall to south having red brick coping and camber-headed gateway with timber matchstick pedestrian gate in red brick surround with moulded brick lintel and red brick cornice. Garden bounded to east and west by rubble stone walls with moulded stone coping. Rear elevation accessed via square-headed pedestrian gate in rendered wall, now the principal entrance, giving access to enclosed courtyard and former servants’ quarters.

Set back from the street behind walls to front and rear, this pair is located on an elevated position overlooking the city, which is characteristic of houses in this part of Cork. Its generous proportions are typical of the nineteenth century houses in this area, which were built by the wealthy Cork merchant class. Though some features have been replaced, its historic character and charm remain.