almshouse

Terraced two-bay two-storey over basement house, built 1777, as part of scheme of almshouses, with slightly lower lean-to addition to rear. House is western subdivision of former five-bay house. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered coursed limestone walls with carved limestone cornice, chamfered quoins and plinth course, and painted walls to basement. Camber-headed window openings with timber sliding sash windows, six-over-six pane to first floor and nine-over-six pane to ground floor, with red brick block-and-start surrounds and limestone sills, and square-headed window opening to basement, having nine-pane fixed timber window with limestone sill and brick voussoirs. Easternmost bay of ground floor contains six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window with infilled fanlight area, and has carved limestone Gibbsian doorcase with having prominent triple keystone. Camber-headed door opening having timber panelled door, eight-pane timber overlight, red brick block-and-start surround and limestone steps over area. Rendered boundary wall to site with limestone coping.

Kingston College was built by the Earl of Kingston for the "poor Gentlemen and Gentlewomen members of the Church of Ireland," with tenants of the estate having priority. This house is a subdivision of a five-bay house designed to echo another house on the other side of the chapel at the centre of the almshouse group. The carved cornice is a particularly fine feature of this house. The brick surrounds to the openings add textural interest and the retention of timber sash windows and the panelled door enhance the building's character.