Phoenix: Historic Lady Lane has languished, unloved for many years

A little bit of medical news before the main event. I understand that work will start within the next few weeks on the long awaited extension to the UHW Pathology lab.

First slated to commence in February 2022, it would be finished by now had it started. Diagnostic demand at the hospital has grown so much that a major new lab is now needed. UHW has apparently not received any permission thus far to hire staff for the seven day week cardiology service. Questions abound! A recent Dept. of Health press release says that the surgical hub planned for Maypark Lane will be operational in 2025. It is a rapid build modular unit, but would still need to start quickly to achieve its opening date. This would be a major win for UHW and indeed for Minister Mary Butler. Is funding in place? Let’s see what happens.

A wonderful book by Marc Girouard, ‘Town and Country’ (Yale University Press) has a lovely article on Waterford. The author, who has local connections, writes that Lady Lane is the best surviving example of an old Waterford street. 

That was before City Square was developed and almost the whole north side of that street was demolished leaving only the lovely row of houses from number 16 to 21. Number 16 dates from 1725 and 17, from 1750. Both were the subject of a bitter planning struggle before An Bord Pleanála refused permission to demolish them. They were converted to apartments in a somewhat prosaic fashion, although significant features like the impressive entrance halls and stairs were thankfully retained. 

It is unlikely that the work carried out to convert them would receive permission today. Number 18, the former Men’s Hostel, is of a different scale altogether. It is one of the finest houses in the city with an ornate five bay (five windows across) three-storey, front elevation. All the windows have decorative reveals. There is a pedimented square headed door opening with three cut-limestone steps, cut-stone Doric doorcase and timber panelled door. The house is of national importance. 

The interior has some lovely rooms with decorative plasterwork and a fine stairs. An awful extension was erected some years ago in its back garden overlooking Spring Gardens. 

The house has languished, unloved for many years and was the subject of a really mischievous fire, which was extinguished before it could do real damage. The house is almost 300 years old. 

The National Built Heritage Service gives a detailed appraisal on its website. The council has to conserve this building. Any alterations will be the subject of forensic oversight by the Heritage Services. It is simply not suitable for conversion to housing and while the intentions of some councillors are praise worthy in that respect, a use needs to be found which will keep the house intact. The idea of a broadly based Children’s Centre (council staff are at pains to point out that it is not a Children’s Museum) is very attractive as Waterford is utterly deficient in day time attractions for that age group.

Waterford people need to understand that the city’s reservoir of historic buildings is quite limited. Buildings of the age and quality of 18 Lady Lane are like hen’s teeth. The 20th century was not kind to us and especially the period between 1965 and 1975. The loss of the Mason School in Lady Lane, demolished on an Easter weekend in 1969 was particularly grievous. 

There were even suggestions to demolish the Holy Ghost hospital on the Cork Road and the Bishop’s Palace on the Mall. Symbols of “British Imperialism” and all that. All the fine houses on North Side of Colbeck Street were demolished. Adelphi Terrace was demolished. 

The Adelphi Hotel, the Steamship Buildings on The Mall, the County Club (garda station) in Rose lane, all were demolished. The jail with its ornate gateway on Ballybricken was demolished. Much of Manor Street was demolished as was the bottom of Patrick Street and all of Peter Street. Much of High Street was demolished. Our Market House on the Quay and Railway station were demolished. All this made a huge hole in the city’s historic fabric from which it is only now recovering. In fairness, much has been kept and the standard of maintenance in Cathedral Square under the council’s watchful eye is wonderful. If housing is needed in the city centre and who will argue with that, we should start with developing the awful site in Exchange Street which has lain empty for 30 years and had 20 different planning applications. We could build in Jenkins Lane behind the Book Centre or in Meeting House Lane. We could build student apartments on the Michael Street site or do something with Stephen’s Street, Browne’s Lane or New Street. We could build apartments in High Street behind the union hall where a ghastly entrance disfigures the whole area. Further afield, we could build houses on a site opposite the tax office or in Summerland where a lovely corner site is long empty.

There is much to be done to repair the fabric of this city before we contemplate well-intentioned but essentially damaging alterations to one of the finest houses in the city. Waterford city is not Dublin. In the latter case there are thousands of magnificent Georgian houses, many of them, especially on the south side and in the various squares, are in beautiful condition. A hundred demolitions or conversions there would be a serious tragedy but not terminal. In Waterford the urban fabric is very fragile and has suffered for many years from a conspicuous lack of investment and dereliction. Some conversions into flats, as in William Street, Lombard Street, Mary Street and so on have produced terribly poor results. Waterford city is at a stage in its growth in both tourism and commerce when it needs all the physical assets it can muster.

One demolition or ill-advised conversion is a loss. Jewels like the Bishops Palace, the Port of Waterford building, the Deanery in Cathedral Square and indeed 18 Lady Lane are part of our communal heritage. They should be loved and polished and displayed as the set pieces they are.