Historical development of housing styles in Ireland from the nineteenth century
The historical development of housing styles in Ireland can be examined across five periods, spanning from the 1800s until the present day.
Early nineteenth century (1800–1850)
During the early nineteenth century 70% of the Irish population lived in rural areas, with the remaining 30% living in urban towns and cities.
Rural areas • Single-storey thatched cottages were the usual home of poor farm labourers. They consisted of two rooms: a kitchen/ living area and a bedroom. Some cottages had another small bedroom in the loft for children to sleep in. The walls were made of stone and mud and were whitewashed. The roof was thatched with reeds, straw or hay. Windows were small to keep in heat. A half-door opened onto the kitchen. An open turf fire was used to heat the kitchen and for cooking.
Single-storey thatched cottage
• Prosperous farmers built stone two-storey farmhouses with slate roofs. They had four or five bedrooms and a room called a parlour that was used on special occasions.
• Wealthy landowners lived in large estate houses with many bedrooms and servants’ quarters in the basement.
Urban areas
• The Georgian-style house was popular in towns and cities. Houses were terraced with three to four storeys and a basement below street level. Walls were constructed of stone and covered with lime plaster. Roofs were slated. The door was the focal point, with steps leading up to it and a fanlight above. Rooms had high ceilings with ornate, decorative cornices. Doorways had architraves as a decorative frame.
• Poorer families lived in urban tenements, originally designed as large Georgian homes for the wealthy. These were subdivided into flats or single rooms, housing many families in poor conditions.
