house

Terraced three-bay three-storey over basement limestone former townhouse, built in 1751, compositionally united with No. 3 by a red brick niche beneath blind red brick oculus at second floor level. In use as clubhouse. Full-height two-bay return to rear. Front site basement area enclosed from pavement. both with limestone ashlar surround. Pitched artificial slate roof with profiled eaves course supporting cast-iron rainwater goods. Squared and coursed limestone rubble walls with rubble limestone basement elevation and rendered rear elevation. Limestone architrave to niche and oculus. Square-headed window openings with limestone voussoirs, patent rendered reveals, limestone sills and uPVC windows throughout. Square-headed door opening with painted limestone ashlar lugged and kneed architrave, raised and fielded panelled timber door and glazed overlight, c. 1980; arrived at by a bridged concrete surfaced front door platform flanked by modern rendered plinth walls supporting steel railings, which returns around the western bays enclosing a basement area.

John's Square was designed by Francis Bindon. He was born in Clare c. 1698 and died in 1765. His early career was as a painter. The Square is probably the most important classical building scheme of the mid eighteenth-century in Limerick City. Bindon's building activity in Ireland is entirely provincial, as no known buildings of his authorship are known to have been constructed in Dublin. As a result, his work has a continental character without English influence. This house, No. 4, is compositionally united with its neighbour, which is an architectural device continued around the square, except for the eastern end of terrace houses. The loss of the original windows is regrettable and reinstatement of timber sash windows would enhance the façade of this highly significant townhouse.