Avoid the daily grind
Anyone shopping for a house with character, land and a mill-pond to boot might consider this property at Pallaskenry, Co Limerick which is on the market with a 500,000 guide.
Washpool Mill was on the market last year, but was withdrawn from sale. Now the boards are back up again and the agent in charge is Pat Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers. With almost 3,000 square feet of space and three acres of ground, this property is no small house and it’s also in excellent condition with some lovely old features, says Mr Kearney.
Chief of these has to be the 160-year old wisteria which clothes the front facade of the house and which would be prized by avid gardeners. Built some time in the 1820’s the property was tastefully extended in the mid-eighties, but it’s hardly noticeable as the addition is sympathetic to the original building.
The layout is also very good, because most of the rooms run the full length of the house allowing ambient light all day long. The main drawing room in particular, takes up the whole right hand wing and has two bay windows overlooking the garden.
The hallway is almost baronial, a large, square room, it’s the size of an average living room and comes with maple floors and a grey slate fireplace, one of many in this house.
Double doors lead to the drawing room on the right and a second set lead to the dining room at the rear of the hallway. This is the only room on the ground floor that doesn’t have windows back to front, but it has two windows overlooking the back garden: at 18’ by 13’ it’s a good size.
At the left of the hallway are the family room and kitchen and these have connecting doorways. The family room has fitted shelving on opposite sides of its slate fireplace while the kitchen is fitted in hand-painted, cream units. The centre point of the room is a green Aga and there’s a guest bathroom and utility off a rear hallway.
A South-American pine staircase leads to the upper level where there are four double bedrooms and a bathroom. As the master bedroom is directly over the drawing room it comes with plenty of room, enough for a separate dressing room and full bathroom, including cast-iron bath. All of the bedrooms are well decorated and come with various fittings: the main bathroom has a cast-iron bath.
In terms of lyrical beauty, the gardens are superb and the old mill pond is served by a stream which runs through the grounds.
Lots of trees, a herb garden and old herbaceous and perennial beds are part of the look and the remainder of the land is in two fields, which would be ideal for a couple of ponies.
Housing for animals is no problem as the millhouse comes with a stable, dog kennel, a lean-to and a three-column hayshed.
There’s also a range of old stone sheds included and while these will need some repair, (if they’re all to be put to use), they add to the overall atmosphere of the property.
Despite the attention to period detail like the natural slate roof and sash windows, the house comes with little extras like cable TV and good plumbing for lots of hot water.
Washpool Mills is surround by a dry-stone wall and the entrance has hand-forged gates and piers, all those extra touches that make this property that bit special.
Situated in a rural setting two miles from Pallaskenry, the house is still within commuting distance of Limerick city which is 13 miles away. Askeaton is five miles and Adare is a nine mile journey from the property.
