Description
Beautiful country house with equestrian facilities
Sandymount House is a charming period house with a harmonious blend of characterful period features and contemporary finishes which was originally part of the De Vesci estate. Built by the De Vesci family in 1836, the property was aptly named Sandymount House after the fashionable suburb in Dublin where the family established an important portfolio of property.
The house occupies a peaceful, countryside position yet is conveniently situated for the national motorway network in the heart of Ireland. It is entered off a tranquil country road through either of two bell-mounted stone wall entrances with piers, with a sweeping tarmacadam driveway passing the front of the house and leading to outbuildings at the rear.
With a south-facing situation, the accommodation is laid out over two storeys and has undergone an extensive programme of renovation and redecoration by the current owner to create a magnificent home which is fit for contemporary living. Works carried out by the seller include the replacement of electrics, plumbing and the installation of a new biomass wood pellet boiler. The seller also replaced all windows and doors, as well as a section of the roof. The house now enjoys a B3 energy rating. The light-filled accommodation is of elegant and generous proportions and has been thoughtfully laid out for both entertaining and family living. Externally, features include dormer windows, a portico and French windows.
A reception hall is the focal point of the house and provides access to the principal reception rooms which benefit from south-facing aspects. A sunroom was added to the western façade by the present owner and is well-positioned for the sunlight throughout the day. At the eastern end of the ground floor accommodation and with a separate external access, is a room with an en suite shower room which offers the potential to be used as a home office or a bedroom. A staircase with timber balustrade and decorative spindles leads to the first floor where there are five-bedroom suites, a further bedroom/nursery and a family bathroom. Internal features include decorative fireplaces, cornices, ceiling roses, shutters, sash and case windows, hardwood floors and double glazing. The kitchen includes an oil-fired Aga and an electric Rangemaster with gas hob.
Outbuildings
The extent and quality of the outbuildings are a notable feature of the property. Situated immediately to the rear of the house is an enclosed courtyard which provides access to a number of outbuildings including a conservatory with shower facilities to the rear, a boiler room of traditional construction with a pellet store overhead and a store. Beyond the courtyard is a further yard with an impressive, modern Dutch barn of block construction beneath a corrugated roof with a concrete floor and a partial stone exterior. The equestrian facilities include 6 loose boxes, a hay store, tack room, isolation pen and midden. The main driveway forks, with a spur leading to the outbuildings. A useful feature is the ample area of hardstanding, including a concrete plinth to the rear, which formerly was the site of a timber chalet.
The seller previously secured planning permission to convert one of the outbuildings to residential accommodation. This permission has now lapsed.
Grounds
The house is set in magnificent formal garden grounds which include mature specimen trees, beds and borders well-stocked with flowering plants and shrubs and lawns. The garden includes a pergola and small timber bridge passing over a feature stream. The grounds extend in total to about 5 acres (2 hectares) and include a number of paddocks which are enclosed by timber post and rail fences and provide excellent grazing.
Services
Mains electricity and water supplies, private drainage via septic tank, wood pellet-fuelled boiler with automatic hopper feed, additional solar panels and broadband.
Please be advised that the selling agents have not checked the services and any purchaser should satisfy themselves with the availability and adequacy of all services.
Sandymount House is positioned opposite the De Vesci Estate on the edge of Abbeyleix, which is an attractive, historic town in the heartland of County Laois.
There was a recorded settlement at Abbeyleix as early as 1183. It flourished near the River Nore and around a Cistercian monastery, which gives the town its name. The present town of Abbeyleix is one of the oldest planned estate towns in Ireland and was largely built in the 18th century by Viscount de Vesci. Today, there is a large range of historical structures still standing in and around the small heritage town which includes ancient ring forts, burial grounds, churches and former estate houses.
Durrow (9 km) is a picturesque neighbouring town that has grown in the shadow of Castle Durrow, once the home of the Fowler Family and now an internationally renowned hotel. The town takes its name from its sylvan surrounds, indeed the Irish name Darmhagh Un nDuach translates to mean Oak Plane. With five rivers on its doorstep, Durrow is a great angling centre famed for its wild brown trout and course fishing rivers, which include the Rivers Nore, Erkina, Goul and Gully.
Portlaoise (16 km) and Kilkenny City (35 km) both provide a wide range of shops, culture and professional services. Kilkenny is a medieval city, renowned throughout Ireland for its rich culture of the arts, music and lifestyle with a wide variety of national attractions, festivals, food and crafts available. Kildare Village (47 km) in county Kildare, is a renowned luxury brand shopping destination and is nestled within beautiful landscaped grounds. It is one of the 11 worldwide Luxury Brand shopping destinations with 60 Luxury Brands.
Sandymount House is ideally located for the home-working environment with Dublin/Dublin Airport a convenient drive away. It is surrounded by excellent transportation systems and is well-positioned for the M7 and M8, which connect Dublin to Cork City and Limerick City. There are railway stations in both Portlaoise and Kilkenny, with trains to Dublin City running every 15-20 minutes at peak times, then every hour for the rest of the day. There are also daily bus services to Dublin City from both towns and Abbeyleix.
The nearby area offers a wide variety of quality sporting and recreational activities including GAA, rugby, swimming, tennis, equestrian sports, hockey and the Abbeyleix bog walk which comprises almost 500 acres of paths through diverse habitats. The Slieve Bloom Mountains are also close by and is very popular for hiking and horse-riding. Golfing enthusiasts are well catered for locally with courses at Abbeyleix, Mountrath, The Heritage in Killenard and the championship course Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club.
Nearby, county Kildare is synonymous with the bloodstock industry, famous for its world-renowned stud farms and busy racing calendar home to the National Stud Farm and Japanese Gardens. The Curragh Racecourse (54 km) is considered to be one of the finest racetracks in the world. Punchestown (home of Irish national hunt racing) and Naas Racecourses are 70 km and 72 km distant, respectively. Stradbally Hall is situated just 21 km from the property and comprises excellent equestrian facilities and holds a large number of shows throughout the year.
Primary schooling can be found locally at Abbeyleix and Durrow, with secondary education available in Portlaoise, Kilkenny and Newbridge. Private schooling with boarding facilities is available at Kilkenny College, Cistercian College, Roscrea, Rockwell College, Cashel and Newbridge College is available for day pupils/day boarding.Features
- Exceptionally decorated and modernised period house
- Home office
- Potential for Bed & Breakfast business
- Formal gardens
- Range of outbuildings
- Stables and paddocks
BER Details
BER: B3
BER No: 111699344
Performance Indicator:Directions
Negotiator Details
Viewing Information
Strictly by appointment with Savills Dublin - Country on + 353 (0) 1 663 4350
