house — Merrion Square

Attached three-bay four-storey former house over basement, built c. 1790 apparently as one in terrace of seventeen, with bow to two eastern bays of rear elevation, with two-storey over basement return to third bay. Now in use as offices. Replacement hipped slate roof spanning depth of building, with flat-roofed attic level, behind Flemish bond brown brick parapet with granite coping; hipped slate roof to return. Shouldered rendered chimneystacks to east with clay pots, concealed gutters and with cast-iron downpipe to west end of front elevation. Flemish bond brown brick walls to front elevation with moulded granite plinth over painted ruled-and-lined rendered basement walls. Square-headed window openings, diminishing in height to upper floors, with painted rendered reveals, soldier arches and painted granite sills; exposed granite block-and-start surrounds and wrought-iron grilles to basement; round-headed stairs window opening to rear elevation of third bay. Timber sliding sash windows, front elevation having nine-over-six pane to first floor, three-over-three pane to top floor and six-over-six pane elsewhere; rear has tripartite windows, three-over-three pane to top floor and six-over-six pane elsewhere. Decorative cast-iron balconettes to first floor, and wrought-iron window-guards to second floor. Round-headed Portland limestone principal doorway with paired Ionic columns, stepped fluted frieze and entablature, decorative radial leaded fanlight, moulded architrave and twelve-panel timber door with brass furniture. Granite platform with cast-iron boot-scrapes and five granite steps. Wrought-iron railings enclosing basement area with decorative cast-iron posts on moulded granite plinth. Basement area has replacement timber panelled door to house and separate timber-sheeted door gives access below bridged platform. Plaque to front wall reads 'Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu 1814-1873 Writer Lived Here'. Areas of garden and carparking to rear, with recent residential building to stable lane.