Harbour home has superior view

THE address sounds London-ish, but the location is pure Leeside, not Thames side.

No 2 Belgrave Place is a Victorian period terraced family home, in Glenbrook in Cork harbour, a place where the river views are paramount and the cross-river ferry to Great Island cris-crosses the tidal stretch with pendulum-like regularity.

Set high above the Passage West/Monksotwn road running through Glenbrook, the terrace backs into a steep east-facing hillside, so steep in fact the back garden goes up in terraces like base camps for wearying climbers.

No 2 is mid-ships in a terrace of four similar homes, and all around there’s the evidence of busy refurbishments as a new generation of owners take on the mantel of period home occupation.

Estate agent James G Coughlan says no 2 (guided at €500,000-plus) has been lovingly restored, and indeed it does come with many period trimmings intact, with timber sash windows and a trio of tall french doors to the first floor wrought iron balcony running across the width of the first floor 20’ by 13’ living room.

There’s stripped shutters in some quarters, and fine fluted architrave detailing too, old pine floors, good cornice work and original marble, slate and cast iron fireplaces.

Accommodation is over four levels, three main floors plus attic room with narrow stair access to this uppermost 20’ by 9’ bedroom.

The ground floor has two interlinked reception rooms, with marble fireplaces, the kitchen is behind with light oak units and on old cooking range inset in an end brick wall, and the main bathroom is on the first floor return, with separate WC and utility. Floors one and two have three bedrooms between them, with a fourth sleeping room at the attic level.

Heating is by electric storage heaters and open fireplaces, and asking price is €500,000-plus.