house

Terraced three-bay four-storey house over raised basement, built c.1792, now in multiple occupancy. Double-pile slate roof, pitched to front (south) elevation, having two hipped projections set perpendicular to rear. Shared brown brick chimneystack with clay pots to east party wall, hidden behind rebuilt red brick parapet wall having granite coping. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond with flush pointing and cast-iron ties to moulded granite plinth course over painted rendered wall to basement. Red brick wall laid in Flemish bond, rebuilt in sections, to rear (north) elevation,having render platband forming third floor lintel. Gauged brick flat-arch window openings with patent rendered reveals, granite sills and six-over-six pane replacement timber sliding sash windows, with replacement timber casements to top floor. Granite block-and-start architrave surround to windows to basement level. Gauged brick flat-arch window openings to rear having timber-frame casement and timber sliding sash windows. Gauged brick round-arched door opening with moulded masonry surround, rendered reveal and painted stone Ionic doorcase, with original raised-and-fielded timber panelled door flanked by engaged Ionic columns, plain glazed sidelights, blocked to east, and quarter engaged responding Ionic pilasters supporting stepped lintel cornice, fluted over side panels, swagging to centre, and having fanlight. Door opens onto granite platform having cast-iron bootscraper and remnants of bootscraper and three granite steps bridging basement. Platform and basement enclosed by original wrought-iron railings and cast-iron corner posts set on moulded granite plinth wall to street with matching iron gate providing basement access. Steel steps and railings to basement. Square-headed door opening under entrance platform, blocked.

This fine Georgian townhouse retains much of its original late eighteenth-century appearance. The retention of timber sash windows, although replacement, nevertheless contributes to the relatively intact appearance of the building. the fine early doorcase is the decorative focus of the facade. The accompanying stone plinth wall and railings to the basement area, coupled with the stone steps and landing to the entrance area, provide a typical urban townhouse context. The whole contributes to the high quality urban space that is Mountjoy Square. The square itself was built on lands formerly belonging to Saint Mary’s Abbey and laid out in 1790 by Luke Gardiner II, completed by 1818. Originally called Gardiner Square, it was planned to develop a strong vista from Custom House to Mountjoy Square and thence to the planned Royal Circus. Unlike other Georgian squares in the city, this example was more carefully laid out with a unified parapet height and the east-west approaches offset to create a sense of enclosure. After falling into serious neglect and dereliction throughout the twentieth-century resulting in the loss of one third of its original buildings, the square has since been repaired.