Kinsale's just a boat ride away from period era Kilmacsimon House

The riverside location of Kilmacsimon House is likely to be just as attractive to 21st Century buyers as it would have been to the original owners who built the substantial five bed house, upriver of Kinsale, in the 1850s.

It was in fact the views of the River Bandon which appealed to the current owner who bought it in late 1990s as a summer home but it became a permanent one.

Digging a little in to the history of area, the owner discovered that nearby Kilmacsimon Quay at one time was used for the import of coal and the export of timber and fish and that the house had been originally built by the Thomas family, farmers with a large acreage.

A few years later, some additional information came from an unexpected source when a retired London surgeon turned up on the doorstep looking for a tour of the house. “He had been born there – I think his father was in the military and had bought it from the Thomas family – he said that some parts of the house were completely different now and told us how it used to look and what had changed.’’ When the current owner bought it, the house had been given a 1960s revamp which has now been reversed. The 1960s fireplaces went out and were replaced with ones better suited to the style of the house and the surviving period features including cornicing, dado rails, ceiling roses and window shutters have been carefully maintained.

Since then the timber sash windows have been reconditioned, an L-shaped conservatory has been added on and the five acre site has been turned into beautiful gardens with patios, mature trees, a green house, a polytunnel, fruit gardens and a multitude of colourful shrubs and plants.

A comfortable country residence, accessed by a sweeping tree lined avenue, it has two formal reception rooms with high ceilings and period features. The drawing room has a handmade Arts and Craft oak fireplace dating from 1928 and the dining room has a faux Louis fire surround fitted with a stove.

The kitchen at the rear is in an extension added by previous owners and has oak units, exposed beams and timber flooring.

The utility room has a Belfast sink and, according to the retired surgeon who came for an unexpected viewing, was the original kitchen and used to have a staircase.

At the top of the existing staircase is a landing with fitted bookcases, doubling as a library. Overlooking the river from the side of the house, is a master bedroom, with period features as well as a walk in wardrobe and an en suite.

The other four bedrooms include a single one used as an office and a second with an en suite and there is also a bathroom with mahogany units.

The west facing conservatory at the rear provides space to sit and enjoy garden views and there is also a raised terrace which can be used to take in the sun and the river views.

Some years back the large four bay polytunnel were used to grow produce which was sold at the local farmer’s market. Although no longer used for this it still has a peach tree. There is a garden which has almost every type of fruit that will grow in our climate and, alongside it, a glass house where the owner used to grow grapes.

In addition to a walled garden and a fruit garden, the property also has in the region of two and a half acres of lawns, kept under control by the use of two ride on mowers.

Located 15 km from Kinsale and eight from Bandon, Kilmacsimon House is a 20 minute drive from the city suburbs.

Describing it as a delightful late Georgian residence with beautiful gardens and a bird’s eye view of the River Bandon selling agents, Flemings Auctioneers are seeking offers of €795,000.

Auctioneer Dan Fleming says the five acre site offers a buyer a range of possibilities, especially as it’s the only land near Kilmacsimon Quay which could be used for development.

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VERDICT: Georgian space and style but with modern comforts and a D2 energy rating.

Kilmacsimon Quay, Cork

€795,000

Sq m 232 (2,500 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 5

Bathrooms: 3

BER: D2