Old Rectory’s Victorian charm at your service

FANCY a house with roots and character in Youghal by the sea?

The Church of Ireland Rectory — minus the Rector who is vacating — in Youghal in East Cork is a new market arrival, packing a 0.75 acre site, views of the sea, and rooms with space and style. Just pack the bucket and shovel, and wade in.

The selling agents, Sherry FitzGerald Hennessy of Youghal are looking for €600,000 for the property which is located, wait for it, on Old Rectory Road.

The house dates back to the 1840s, an era that endorsed the health benefits of seaside living.

The aspect is southerly, so the sun pours in when it makes any sort of appearance at all, and there’s a fine sunny entrance porch to the front, as well as deep bay windows left of the hall in the formal reception and in one of the overhead bedroom, alternatively a first floor living room.

It has up to five bedrooms, as well as a sitting room with bay window, kitchen/dining room with Stanley stove, living room and office all on the ground floor.

There’s a loo on the stair return, one en suite bedroom, as well as a main family bathroom, and a number of the rooms have retained some period detailing, such as cornice work, though most of the fireplaces are later replacements: reinstating more original pieces would lift the rooms hugely.

There are some fine houses along this stretch of road, and the Rectory has a stepped and sloping large site, dash exterior, windows were replaced and the house was re-wired a few years ago.

There’s a stove in the kitchen, windows have been replaced with double-glazed windows and it was rewired in 2001.

Given the surge in new homes supply in Youghal in the past five years, this is a chance to buy one of the originals, for not much more than the price of a Cork city semi, or a Dublin artisan cottage.