Take the East Cork choo, choo to a property with potential

Tommy Barker says Jamesbrook Hall is steeped in family history.

STEEPED in history, and set near Saleen Creek and the edge of Cork harbour, Jamesbrook Hall has been brought back from the brink of abandonment in time for East Cork’s full-flight, 21st century jobs and building renaissance.

But, like the Fianna Fáil manifesto ‘A Lot done, More to do,’ it is a house and property project with further potential, in this case the addition of 10 holiday homes for which full planning permission has been given.

Jamesbrook Hall, dating to the late 1600s and early 1700s in a scenic and wildlife reserve setting, was taken on as a labour of love back in 1998, when only its then-modest purchase price made any dreams of renovations to its raw state possible for owners Gary and Liz Coughlan.

Not only have they been busy on the house front, they’ve also grown a family of four smallies to fill the house with, but are now selling up with the vast majority of the house make-over in place.

It is one of the oldest intact East Cork country houses, pre-dating the Georges, but assuredly Georgian in character, three storeys tall and full of period details. Best of all is the elaborate ceiling plaster work, attributed as a later addition by the Francini (or Lafrancini) brothers, Swiss-Italian journeymen and master craftsmen.

It was built by the Cork business family the Goulds, and may have been constructed during the short reign of James II, 1685 to 1688.

And, it remained in Gould-Adams family hands from its inception (and on over 200 acres) up to 1932, when the last family member passed away without an heir. Now, acreage is down to a much more modest four acres, with outbuildings to the rear with conversion potential, while 10 holiday homes can also be added on should a new owner decide to take it down a tourism business route.

Thus, the asking price now is €2.25 million, quoted by Con Dennehy of Property Choice auctioneers, which reflects not only the quality of the original residence, and the restoration work carried out, but also the site value added by the grant of the 10 plannings.

Jamesbrook Hall, described by Property Choice as a Georgian Country Manor, has up to six bedrooms, most restored, four have original fireplaces and two have superb oval bays to the side with windows for a dual aspect.

The ground floor has a super 32’ by 12’ hall with York stone floor and gracious staircase, overhead stucco work, and off is a sitting room 18’ by 19’, with sash windows, fine fireplace and, quite inappropriate, a large side gable wall window. Next up is a larger dining room, again with marble chimney piece, and this room’s gable wall shares the same bow as the overhead bedrooms. Other lower level rooms include a back hall and pantry with stone floors, and a utility, while the generous 22’ by 18’ kitchen has a wood-burning cast iron stove in a brick alcove, with terracotta tiled floor.

Any tempted buyers have the option of keeping the house private, or of developing it as a tourism income stream, with scope for 12 self-catering cottages.