Harbour home at Alta Terrace has a real sense of history

Tommy Barker says this home at Alta Terrace overlooking Monkstown’s marina oozes with period charm.

SOME of the very best period homes and terraces in Cork aren’t to be found in the city and current hub of commerce — they were built around the harbour, in places like Cobh and Monkstown in the 19th century when the region’s wealth ebbed and flowed on the tides, ocean crossings and naval campaigns during times of Empire’s might, and military and naval adventures.

With renewed appreciation of Cork harbour, the past decade or two has seen much renewal of such Victorian gems, and in Monkstown, a few terraces in particular stand out, such as Alta Terrace and Sydenham Terrace.