Pick a piece of the Crescent’s jigsaw

Rose Martin visits the Crescent, an enclave overlooking Cork harbour.

THE Crescent, 13 houses on a niche overlooking Cork Harbour, is an architectural landmark for both for Cobh and for the region.

The town's layout, built to service the needs of the Admiralty, is a marvellous example of Victorian engineering, with houses terraced along steep, south-facing hills, some built on the same vaulted supports used in the railway which connects to Cork city.

In a town of impressive buildings, The Crescent is noteworthy: a fine example of Victorian/Italianate style. It is believed to be the work of Thomas Deane, from a family of renowned architect/builders.

Set above the deep-water berth that is the headquarters of the Irish navy, the Crescent is a cul-de-sac, at both the back and the front, while the lush gardens offer a large recreation space with pedestrian access to the town.

Because of the communal gardens, this terrace is a ready-made community, a little enclave where properties generate much interest when they come on the market.

Number 6 is the second Crescent house to come on the market in the last two years and is selling via auctioneer, Joanna Murphy, of Cobh, who says the asking price is in excess of €600,000 for the two-storey, over-basement property.

The vendors are artists and number 6 is 'choc-a-bloc' with paintings sculpture and objet trouve.

In the 1980s, when the couple bought this house, it was in dire condition: it had been on the market for four years and had been derelict for 14 years.

The agent selling the house at that time insisted on a non-conditional purchase and it was two years after that date before the couple moved in.

Runnels were carved in the staircase walls by flowing water from the leaky roof and the floors were gone.

Once a new roof and floors had been put in place, the couple took up residence on the top floor while working their way downwards.

While most of the house is finished, final touches are being made in the grand drawing room, which interconnects to the dining room/library: these are probably the most imposing rooms in the house.

However, the kitchen is the real jewel a tasteful combination of old and new.

And while the floor has the treadmarks of 150 years of domestic occupation, the configuration has been changed to create an open-plan space.

While this is at basement level from the road, with limestone steps leading below, it is at garden level behind and is a warm, sunny spot.

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the supporting pillar, a necessity when moving walls, which has little niches holding various groupings of objects and which is lit from overhead: a neat and atmospheric idea.

Against one wall is a massive dresser measuring 7' by 9', painted in a soft Farrow and Ball cream, a colour scheme continued on the bay window shutters, while the rest of the room is simply white.

The advantage of the houses in the Crescent is that, while they are very attractive and quite imposing, they are not huge, draughty old buildings.

Number 3 has three bedrooms on the top level, but there is a fourth bedroom on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor is a range of store rooms, and a huge wet room with some clever features.

The beauty of this house is that it has not been changed much since it was built in 1845, so the main bathroom is as it was them, with taps and bath in place. A separate water-closet is a veritable throne room and the pull-cord for the servants is still by the fireplace in the drawing room.

There are three receptions rooms on the first floor, including a butler's pantry and three bedrooms overhead.

The ground floor houses the kitchen, guest bedroom and utility rooms. Manageable, but still impressive, number 6 is a true Victorian house, but also a perfect family home.