The Hunt Museum — Custom House Quay

Detached five-bay three-storey limestone former customs house, built between 1765-69, flanked by straight arcaded wings with frontispiece facing the River Shannon. Seven-bay three-storey elevation incorporating basement level, facing Rutland Street, to which a number of accretions have been added. Restored and renovated by the OPW in 1996 to re-house the Hunt Museum. Hipped slate roof with central valley enclosed on each side from which rise rendered chimneystacks, rebuilt c. 1996. Hipped slate roofs over windows. West-facing river-fronting frontispiece comprises rusticated limestone ashlar rear ground level with profiled stringcourse delineating first floor level. Smooth limestone ashlar first and second floor level with rusticated quoining to corners. Three-bay breakfront articulated by groin vaulted arcade of three arches at ground level and giant order fluted Corinthian pilasters on panelled bases, rising from first to second floor level joined by modillion enriched entablature. Multiple-bay limestone ashlar groin vaulted arcaded wings with panelled piers and plain spandrels (unfinished vermiculation to south arcaded wing), between arches and simple vermiculated roundels to apex of arches. Arches now glazed. Limestone ashlar Rutland Street elevation and side elevation, above rendered basement elevation, with rusticated quoining to sides and dentil enriched parapet entablature. Five-bay two-storey block added in 1996 to east side of two-storey over basement section built behind south arcaded wing. Square-headed window openings throughout, with Venetian window opening to north-facing side elevation, set in rusticated elevation at ground floor level, and having limestone ashlar architraves, panelled aprons, and entablatures with Greek key motif at first floor level, and architraves surrounding openings at second floor level having raised lintel block and sill drops. To Rutland Street elevation window openings have plain limestone architraves, and limestone sills. Nine-over-six timber sash windows at ground and first floor level and three-over-three to second floor level. The interior retains some important joinery detailing including lugged architraves and raised and fielded panelled shutters. Hard surface railed area to Rutland Street now principal entrance to the museum, having rusticated limestone piers supporting wrought-metal gates. Fine limestone gates to north giving access to site onto which the Customs House overlooks, comprising panelled piers with fretwork band beneath dentil enriched capping stones, scroll-topped gate ends and reproduction wrought-iron gates with spearhead finials. Site, formerly Customs House Quay, with quay walls surviving, now enclosed from edge by modern metal railings.