Own a little piece of heaven

IF you fancy the West Cork country house lifestyle, then a former rectory will always fit the bill.

Coming to market with a E600,000-plus buyer's bill or price guide with Anne O'Mahony and Sheila O'Flynn of Sherry FitzGerald is a late Georgian rectory near Enniskeane, 33 miles from Cork city and within a short drive of Clonakilty and Bandon.

Another former Church of Ireland rectory on two acres at Ballygarvan, five miles from Cork city, was sale agreed recently at just over E850,000 with agents Lisney and Dooley and Howard.

Kinneigh House at Enniskeane comes on over 10 acres of grounds, and has living quarters on two levels over semi-basement with enough light getting in 'down under in the lower ground level to adapt to even more living quarters a kitchen could go in with ease.

Kinneigh House, with its handy amount of land in paddocks and old stables (to put the 'neigh' into Kinneigh), is across the public road from an old church and has the obligatory tree-lined avenue with bursts of rhododendrons and hardwood signalling its years of maturity.

The house itself has that classic aged aesthetic that just doesn't come with newer copies of these hardy originals, and the old stable block and former walled garden completes the rooted to the past image.

It was built in the mid-1800's for the Rector of St Bartholomew's Church, which can still be glimpsed through the trees from this former rectory. After a century in church ownership, it bounced into the care of a rubber plantation owner returning from Malaya, a Mr Longmore, who had it for 20 years.

The current owners were the next in line, and they have steadily worked on the property during their years of care. What has been done has added to the feel and character, and a new owner might want to go down to the lower level now to maximise the potential down there.

Currently, the lower ground level has stores, scullery, guest WC, wine cellar etc.

However, this could open up to a sprawling kitchen and recreation room with garden access.

First floor living rooms have period details, fireplaces, cornices, wood floor and high ceiling, plus quite a grand staircase to complete the scene. Accommodation includes drawing room, dining room, study, compact kitchen and conservatory.

There's a guest loo on the return, and upstairs there are three double bedrooms, a single and a main bathroom.