Situated in Sheare Street. This is a terraced building on the street front forming part of Fenns Quay on Sheare Street. No. 4 Fenns Quay is one of five similar houses built c1750. It is a three-bay three-storey house with a steeply pitched slate roof with red brick corner chimney stacks and cast iron rooflights. The walls of the upper floors are of red brick with cut limestone keystones over the first floor windows. The rear walls are covered with slate to better protect them against the prevailing moisture carrying winds. Among the many original features surviving in the houses internally are the striking original timber panelled rooms. The ownership of property at Fenn’s Quay can be traced from Joseph Pike in 1708 to the present day. It is not possible to establish exactly when and by whom the terrace of houses were built. The houses were originally used for residential purposes but in the 19th century the ground floors were converted into shops. These houses form one of Cork’s earliest surviving terraces of houses, and retain a remarkable level of original internal and external fabric. The terrace represents the architectural design and construction of its time. In 1997 it was rescued from dereliction by a ground- breaking conservation scheme which was awarded the RIAI Silver medal for conservation. This work was carried out by Jack Coughlan Architects and Chris Southgate and Associates.
Opening hours – Monday – Saturday 1pm – 5pm (may vary seasonally)