Fernwood terrace a world apart

GO down to the end of the long garden at 2, Fernwood, Douglas Road, and you’re into a different world. Shady trees, an old stone wall and fields running on to the horizon — that’s all you’ll see.

Hard then, to believe that this house is almost inner city.

The playing fields belong to the local school and further off the cut-stone gable of St Finbarr’s hospital gives an almost historic feel.

The fields to the left of the view lie fallow, following the decampment of Nemo Rangers to new grounds. This eight-acre site was ready to go for 82 luxury homes, until August when plans by Fleming Construction were scuppered at Bord Pleanala level.

And the reason? This terrace, actually. The board’s inspector deemed the Douglas Road row to be of ‘regional importance’ and of a ‘very high architectural value’.

Described as an ‘intact terrace of late 19th-century homes’ the proposed demolition of two houses in the row was refused.

And it’s easy to see why when you get down to the mews entrance — why should this integral part of the urban landscape be bulldozed?

These narrow strips of garden snake downwards along boundaries described by old escallonia and privet hedges. Big trees droop with apples and the ambience is of another era, another place in time.

According to the vendors of no 2 Fernwood, the gardens teem with wild life, foxes rabbits and even a sparrow hawk, who swooped down recently to check out the hedgerows. The development will probably go ahead, but the entrance won’t be from this side, so the rows and their integrity will remain.

And from 2, Fernwood’s point of view, the new scheme will be out of view — the playing fields that remain look likely to stay for a good while too.

A low, dormer cottage from the road, no 2 is surprisingly spacious, courtesy of two extensions to the rear. Being double-sided, there are reception rooms at either side of the hallway and psychologically, it creates the feeling of space.

One is now a fully fitted office, and the other is a relaxing winter room with an arch leading through to a living/sunroom at the rear.

The main hallway, with old tiles, leads through to the other end of the house, where there’s a neat dining room leading onto a walnut kitchen, which in turn runs into the sunroom — so there’s a circularity in the ground floor.

Japanese-style sliding units hide the messy bits at one end of the sunroom and a breakfast bar creates a division between it and the kitchen. Then, there are the outside rooms: a terrace leading onto an circular pergola with central fountain and flower bed surround. Beyond this again is a greenhouse and a long strip of garden. Facing full south, it’s a private sun trap.

On the upper level, there are three double bedrooms and all are fully fitted: the main bathroom is panelled in mahogany and has a stand alone bath with some lovely fittings. Heating is by gas, the system is pressurised and the house is fully double-glazed, which means there’s little noise from the traffic outside.

Best of all, it has the bus stop right outside the door.

Sinéad Twohig of Property Choice is the selling agent and she quotes a guide of e550,000.