house — Merrion Square

Attached three-bay four-storey former house over basement, built c. 1750, having shallow segmental bow to rear elevation. Now in office use. Slate roof, pitched to front part and with two hipped roofs to rear part, smaller to north and rounded to south. Large shared rendered chimneystacks with clay pots to party walls at front and to south end of rear, concealed rainwater goods, and reconstructed brown brick parapet wall with masonry coping. Flemish bond brown brick walling on painted granite plinth over painted rendered walling to basement; rendered to rear. Square-headed window openings, diminishing in height to upper floors, with painted granite sills and timber sliding sash windows, one-over-one pane with ogee horns, except for basement which has two-over-two pane windows with iron security grilles; timber sash windows to rear, tripartite to lower floors. Decorative wrought-iron vignettes to first floor openings. Segmental-headed door opening with moulded architrave, recessed painted masonry doorcase with partly engaged Doric columns supporting plain entablature, plain fanlight and single-panel timber door with weatherboard and brass furniture. Door opens onto granite platform bridging basement, with three bull-nosed steps to street level and cast-iron boot-scrape. Basement area enclosed by spear-headed cast-iron railings on moulded granite plinth wall. Separate entrance at south provides access to masonry staircase with replacement metal handrail. Replacement timber panelled door provides internal access below bridged platform. Casey (2005) notes that interior retains some early joinery, cornices and other elements. Carparking at rear.