Fine family period home overlooks the harbour

BUILT in the 1850s, the big semi-detached home at 2 Gordon Villas is in surprisingly good health inside and out, thanks to improvements by its relocating owners.

Set on a hillside overlooking Cork harbour, in the middle of old Monkstown, the muscular red-brick residence has views from every room at the front.

No 2 is, in effect, double-fronted, and has lots of its period trimmings, including ornate fretwork in the fascia canopy, sash windows, original brickwork and limestone sills and courses.

And inside, it is as good as you’d hope for, says estate agent Peter Cave of Hamilton Osborne King, who guides it at €675,000-plus.

There’s clearly a market for fine, large family homes in this vicinity, which is within a short drive to Cork city.

Gordon Villas is a small cluster of large semis well up above the road and Sand Quay dinghy park and slipway in Monkstown, with a bright aspect towards the south (and with Cobh and Verolme hoving in the mid-distance) and No 2 has front and rear access.

The property has particularly large ground floor living rooms, with a well-proportioned bay window in the drawing room, which also has a marble fireplace, polished wood floors and high, corniced ceilings.

There’s a fine-sized kitchen/dining room with Belfast sink and central island, and a wood-panelled family room with gas stove, utility and wash room.

Next up, there are three first floor bedrooms (some with fireplaces), with a bathroom on the stair return, and three more bedrooms plus shower room at top floor level.

The house has recently been reroofed.