Survey Data
Reg No
50930191
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
In Use As
Office
Date
1840 - 1845
Coordinates
316773, 232958
Date Recorded
29/09/2015
Date Updated
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Description
Corner-sited end-of-terrace two-bay four-storey former townhouse over basement, built 1841, forming a terrace comprising Nos. 1-6 (50930186-91). Three-stage flat-roofed return and basement extension abut to rear (north) elevation. Now in use as offices. Pitched roof to front (south) span, irregular M-profile hipped roof to rear span (north) with ridge running perpendicular to street. Brick chimneystacks to east and west party walls; shouldered and corbelled to west with lipped octagonal yellow clay pots, replacement to east. Roof concealed behind ashlar granite parapet with moulded cornice and coping, plain granite coping and parapet to west and north. Parapet gutters with cast-iron downpipe to east-side of north elevation. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond, with rusticated granite walling to ground floor over offset granite plinth, rendered walling to basement. Buff brick walling to north and west, laid to English garden wall bond to west. Rendered walling to rear returns. Square-headed window openings with projecting granite sills, continuous to first floor south, voussoired heads and patent reveals to upper floors, sills and surrounds to basement. Openings diminishing to upper floors. Windows to south one-over-one replacement sliding timber sashes with horns, uPVC casement to basement. Ornate cast-iron balconettes affixed to first and second floor openings, steel grille affixed to basement and scalloped trims affixed to first and second floor window heads. Range of multi-paned sashes to rear including Wyatt-style windows to first and second floor and round-headed sash with spoked fanlight to second floor west-side. Round-headed door opening to principal south elevation with granite voussoirs, moulded rendered reveals and Neo-classical doorcase comprising fluted Scamozzian-Ionic columns on plinth stops rising to moulded cornice with panelled frieze. Ornate stained-glass petal fanlight over four-panelled timber door with beaded-muntin and replacement furniture. Dressed stone entrance platform, with cast-iron boot scraper, five matching steps to street with masonry balustrades on granite plinths, enclosing basement area to east-side and replacement metal railings to west. Steel steps to basement area. Street granite paved with cast-iron coal-hole covers retained. Street fronted on north side of Wilton Place, overlooking Grand Canal to south and an enclosed park to south-west.
Appraisal
One of a terrace of six, this former townhouse was originally intended to be part of a large-scale scheme, devised c. 1830 by Arthur Neville, for a crescent framing a semi-circular park, overlooking the Grand Canal. Delayed and then revised due to failed negotiations over land acquisition, the terrace was eventually built in 1841, with four houses constructed by George Farrell. One is attributed to Henry McManus. Characterised by granite rusticated ground floors, decorative iron balconettes, balustraded stone steps and good Scamozzian-Ionic doorcases, the terrace is largely well retained, despite some alterations and loss of historic fabric. The terrace defines much of the streetscape character of Wilton Place, and is the only realised section of a grand-scale mid-nineteenth century planning scheme.