Survey Data
Reg No
50080318
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural
Original Use
House
In Use As
Office
Date
1900 - 1910
Coordinates
314114, 233970
Date Recorded
25/06/2013
Date Updated
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Description
Attached two-bay three-story over basement former house , built c.1905, having double-height canted bay window to ground and first floors to front (south) elevation, set back from street. Now in use as offices. Hipped roof set perpendicular to street, hidden behind limestone parapet with carved cornice, cast-iron rainwater goods, terracotta ridge tiles, and red brick chimneystacks having clay chimney pots. Red brick walls laid in English bond with carved limestone plinth course over rusticated limestone walls to basement level to front. Carved limestone cornice and platband over canted bay to front, carved limestone string course over first floor, platbands at sill level to ground and first floors. Square-headed window openings with cut limestone sills, red brick voussoirs and one-over-one pane timber sash windows. Round-headed door opening with red brick voussoirs, carved limestone hood moulding resting on stops, timber panelled door and plain fanlight over, opening onto nosed granite steps with flanking cast-iron railings on carved granite plinth wall, continuing to enclose basement area to front. Double-leaf wrought-iron pedestrian gate flanked by square-profile cut limestone piers to front, with matching railings set on carved limestone plinth walls.
Appraisal
No.108 James's Street is listed in Thom’s Directory of 1897 as being the property of Mrs. Keegan, a tobacconist, and in 1903 as having been acquired by Guinness. A large increase in the rates before 1909 indicates that it was rebuilt between these years, following the expansion of the brewing enterprise at Guinness into the site north of James's Street in 1873. This new area was mainly used for cooperage, racking and dispatching, and several buildings along James’ Street to the south were acquired for use as offices or staff accommodation. That many of these were redeveloped or rebuilt reflects the impact that the Guinness brewery made on the streetscape in this area. Set back from the street, this substantial and imposing house is enhanced by subtle limestone detailing, which is repeated in the flanking buildings, creating an eyecatching group in the streetscape.