Red House Café/Stitched Up

Detached eight-bay two-storey building, built c. 1905, formerly in use as a police barracks, and now in use as commercial premises with accommodation over. Single-bay single-storey ‘dummy’ bay attached to the south-east gable end. Pitched natural slate roof with moulded red brick eaves course, and four moulded red brick chimneystacks (one to either gable end, and two to the centre) having red brick stringcourses and moulded red brick coping over. Red brick walls (English garden bond) walling over chamfered red brick plinth course. Moulded red brick stringcourse to heads of windows at first floor level. Squared-headed window openings with red brick voussoirs, stone sills, and with replacement window fittings; red brick cornice lintels over ground floor window openings. Square-headed door openings to second bay to either end of front elevation having replacement timber panelled doors, overlights, and with red brick cornice lintels over. Central segmental-headed doorway having moulded red brick reveal, stone step to threshold, recessed replacement timber door with replacement sidelights and overlights (now blocked), and with red brick hoodmoulding over with decorative label stops. Road-fronted to the north-west corner of The Diamond, Castlefinn.

This well-detailed and substantial building, dating to the very end of the nineteenth century or to the very start of the twentieth century, retains much of its original character and form despite some recent alterations. The front elevation is enlivened by the moulded red brick detailing, particular to the eaves and over the ground floor openings. The tall moulded red brick chimneystacks add interest at roofscape level. The loss of the original fittings to the openings detracts somewhat from its visual appeal and authenticity. The red brick construction of this building is unusual in Castlefinn, and is generally uncommon in small Irish towns and villages, adding colour and variety to the streetscape. According to local information, this building was formerly in use as a police barracks, and was probably originally built as such. It replaced earlier barracks (c. 1860) to the north end of Main Street and an earlier barracks (c. 1830) to the north end of The Diamond (Ordnance Survey first edition six-inch map c. 1836; Griffith’s Valuation c. 1860; Ordnance Survey twenty-five inch map 1902). This building makes a positive contribution to the streetscape to the centre of Castlefinn, and is an addition to the built heritage of the local area.