The height of good taste in Victoriana

TALL, elegant, perhaps even haughty - No 120 Sunday’s Well Road is the height of good taste.

That’s according to the selling agent of this Victorian period, four-storey red-brick home with lofty south-facing views within a short walk of Cork city centre.

Last sold a handful of years ago, the place which is one of a distinctive trio of three terraced homes has been worked on further to make for a place that is ready to move into, and comes up for sale with a €750,000 price guide through Brian Olden of Lisney.

“It is exquisite, it doesn’t need another penny spent on it,” he comments, setting it up as an ideal buy for a new owner who has high standards, a bit of cash to spend but is time-poor.

The house, coralling the narrow entrance to Lower Janemount at the city end of Sunday’s Well Road, has a sloping approach front garden which basks in sunshine, and behind is a compact yard only.

A Victorian red-brick with contrasting yellow bands of brick and ornate work over the windows and with carved fascias, it has five bedrooms over the upper three floors, with the very best views from the porthole-like window in the distinctive front gable.

The front door sets the tone for the rest of the house to follow, with an original heft to the timber door with stained glass insets, and the hall just beyond has original polished Victorian tiling.

Main reception rooms are off to the right and are interconnecting: the front living room has a bay window, and double doors to a dining room behind to allow light to filter to the back of the house. Both rooms have fireplaces, the one to the rear has a gas insert (central heating is by gas as well) and the shutters on the bay window are an effective extra insulating feature, made slightly redundant by the installation of double glazing which at least apes the sash mid-section split.

The kitchen beyond, to the back of the house, has maple units, good crisp wall tiling and a sleek black Rayburn stove slots into an alcove. Behind again is a utility room with guest WC.

The main bathroom, with a dressing room and walk-in wardrobe, is on the first floor, and each of the next two for have two bedrooms (some with fireplaces,) with stunning views (Cricket Club, tennis club, Fitzgerald Park, UCC, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, etc) from the front rooms, and the top bedroom has an en suite shower room.

Those who don’t need so many bedrooms may opt for a sitting room in one of the front bedrooms.