house — Merrion Street Upper

Attached two-bay four storey former house over basement, built c. 1790 as one of pair with No. 20, having single-storey building to rear of plot. Currently in use as offices, with restaurant to basement. M-profile pitched slate roof, hipped to south end, behind red brick parapet with masonry coping. Long unpainted rendered chimneystack to party wall with No. 20 with masonry coping. Concealed rainwater goods. Flemish bond red brick walling to front elevation, refaced in redder brick above second floor window head level on moulded masonry plinth over basement walls having recent timber panelled cladding; yellow/brown brick walling to rear, rebuilt in red brick above top floor window head level; rendered to south elevation. Square-headed window openings, diminishing in height to upper floors, with painted masonry sills and patent reveals. Replacement timber sliding sash windows with convex horns, nine-over-nine pane to ground and first floors, six-over-six pane to second floor and basement, and three-over-three pane to top floor, with intrusive narrow side-hung timber casement between top floor window openings; apparently timber sash windows to rear. Front elevation has decorative wrought-iron balconettes to first floor. Painted masonry entrance doorcase, having square-headed door opening, engaged Doric columns with triglyphed frieze, open-bed pediment, plain fanlight and replacement eleven-panel timber door, with later sidelight having fixed timber window. Granite entrance platform with four granite steps to street. Shared basement area enclosed by wrought-iron railings with decorative cast-iron corner posts on granite plinth. Steel steps and recent timber door to basement.