Kilkenny Courthouse

Attached seven-bay double-height over projecting raised basement Classical-style courthouse, built 1792, originally detached incorporating fabric of earlier bridewell, 1566, to basement retaining fabric of medieval castle, 1210. Remodelled, 1828, with pedimented tetrastyle Tuscan frontispiece added to centre. Extended, 1855-6, comprising four-bay three-storey return to east. Renovated, pre-1977, with interior remodelled. Pitched slate roof (gabled to pediment; hipped to return) with clay ridge tiles, and concealed cast-iron rainwater goods. Random rubble limestone walls with limestone ashlar dressings including tooled plinth, engaged Tuscan columns forming tetrastyle frontispiece to centre supporting frieze with moulded surround to pediment having modillions, paired engaged Tuscan columns to end bays, frieze, moulded cornice, and blocking course over incorporating panels to end bays having swags. Square-headed window openings (in tripartite arrangement to bays flanking frontispiece in segmental-headed recesses; rectangular panels over to end bays) with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds (incorporating panelled pilasters to tripartite openings supporting frieze and entablature), and six-over-six timber sash windows having two-over-two sidelights to tripartite openings. Series of three square-headed door openings to frontispiece with carved surrounds having friezes, entablatures, timber panelled double doors, and cut-limestone panels over incorporating roundels having swags. Square-headed openings to basement in segmental-headed recesses forming arcade on limestone ashlar piers with moulded necking, cut-stone sills, cut-stone surrounds having keystones, and six-over-six timber sash windows with one having timber panelled door. Series of four square-headed openings to left to basement with limestone ashlar Tuscan columns supporting lintels, and wrought iron gates. Interior with entrance hall having limestone flagged floor, carved timber architraves to door openings having timber panelled doors or double doors, rectangular panels over, timber panelled reveals to window openings, and shallow segmental vaulted ceiling on decorative plasterwork cornice. Set back from road with landscaped forecourt enclosed by pair of flights of twenty cut-limestone steps (leading to entrance level) with limestone ashlar parapets having chamfered coping, rusticated limestone ashlar piers having moulding supporting frieze, cut-limestone capping supporting iron lamp standards, and iron double gates.