house — Merrion Square

Attached three-bay four-storey former house over basement, built c. 1790 as one of terrace of four (Nos. 37-40). Now in use as offices. Pitched slate roof to front part, hipped to north, behind refaced brick parapet with granite coping, and having two roofs perpendicular to street to rear, south roof being fully hipped and north having curved hip to east. Shouldered brick chimneystacks with clay pots. Flemish bond brown brick walling on moulded granite plinth course over rendered basement walling; walling to top floor recently rebuilt in red brick. Square-headed window openings, diminishing in height to upper floors, with raised rendered reveals and painted granite sills; carved granite block-and-start surrounds to basement openings. Timber sliding sash windows, nine-over-nine pane to first floor, three-over-three pane to top floor and six-over-six pane elsewhere. Cast-iron security grilles to basement windows. Apparently timber sliding sash windows to rear. Round-headed principal doorway with moulded rendered surround and doorcase having fluted frieze and cornice, engaged Ionic columns with pilaster responds flanking leaded geometric sidelights, petal fanlight within slight recess and having fluted and rosetted surround, in turn having surround with swags and rosettes, and ten-panel timber door with brass furniture. Granite platform with five granite steps. Basement area enclosed by wrought-iron railings with decorative cast-iron posts on moulded granite plinth. Flight of granite steps with wrought-iron handrail leading to basement area. Cast-iron coal-hole covers set in granite flags to pavement. Interior: first floor rooms redecorated c. 1855 in Louis XV style, with highly ornate bowed rear room.