A brief footnote to the social history of Co Kildare is hinted at by a modest merchant-class Georgian house to be auctioned in Athy on March 14th. Eversley is the largest and only double-fronted dwelling of four houses in a small terrace on the semi-commercial Woodstock Street, a long road that runs off the town's even busier Duke Street.
The house faces on to a public parking area and the view across the road includes two public houses. Yet it must be said that even in its current state of neglect, Eversley, believed to have been completed in 1760, remains attractive.
Admittedly, the pretty period street facade defies the poor condition of the interior. The exterior front five windows are intact, as are their dressed surrounds. The original front door has withstood time and the elements thanks to its sheltered east-facing position. The door surrounds also remain, so does the moulded timber fanlight. The iron street railing is intact while the front garden extends to little more than planting area for low beds on either side of the entrance.
Inside, the most interesting feature is the staircase. The colourful mosaic-style floor tiles may well be Edwardian. The two downstairs reception rooms are modest although the sittingroom also has a window overlooking the yard. The slightly smaller diningroom has a service hatch. The fireplaces are slate with cast-iron insets and are plain, in keeping with the minimal plaster-work and lack of period decoration. It has never had central heating and needs complete re-wiring and re-roofing. While the house is relatively untouched, retaining its timber floors, some of its ceilings and one of its 18th century window frames (the others are all 19th century), the kitchen area betrays all the signs of crude modernisation.
Upstairs is dominated by a fine landing. The most impressive of the five bedrooms overlooks the street and could be used as a reception area. The remaining four rooms are smaller, three of them are accessed through an arch, leading to a return. The last two of these rooms have poor proportions. The separate bathroom and toilet are grim.
Despite the atmosphere-less kitchen area, the biggest disappointment lies outside. Whatever traces there would have once been of a garden has long since succumbed to being a yard and no more, although a courtyard could be created to the side. There are a range of poor quality lofted outhouses. Off-street access remains and leads to what would have been a coach-house.
The entire property is overlooked on all sides. The selling agent, Bryan O'Doherty, is expecting it to sell for more than £200,000. This seems high. It will cost far more to restore it. However, among the selling points cited is its eligibility for full benefits under the contentious tax designation scheme. Eversley should prove a good test to the integrity of the scheme as to whether its restoration will veer more to conservation than commercialism. Busy Athy, a Heritage Town on the River Barrow near where the Grand Canal joins it, could well prove the strongest selling point.
