Getting hitched to the €475k Coach House could be a marriage made in Heaven
The Coach House, Dunkettle
|
Glanmire, Cork |
|
|---|---|
|
€475,000 |
|
|
Size |
205 sq m (2206 sq ft) |
|
Bedrooms |
3 |
|
Bathrooms |
3 |
|
BER |
D2 |
THERE was, in all likelihood, a strong demand for coach houses in Glanmire in the early half of the 19th century; as the village was, at the time, adorned with “gentlemen’s seats and villas”.
The names of these gentle folk and their swanky country mansions are listed in Samuel Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of 1837, which describes Glanmire as a village of “many plantations and hanging woods” beyond a “beautiful glen”.
Some of the names listed remain prominent in the business life of Cork City, which was a couple of kilometres west. To reach the city, these captains of industry would have needed ready access to a horse and carriage.
Coach houses, for storing carriages and related tack, were relatively common in Glanmire and some fine examples survive. They include a three-storey coach house on the site of the former 18th century Glynntown House (now demolished), and another in the grounds of Glanmire Rectory, which has served as a games room with a bar in more recent years. A third example is the charming home featured here, built around the turn of the last century, and still known as the Coach House.
The original building was around the size of the existing kitchen but was extended in the 1960s. It’s now a generous, detached, three-bedroom home of about 2,200sq ft. Previous owners, who lived next door, did a good bit of work on it; before selling it to the current owner, Ken Sheehan, in 2015.
Ken and his wife gave it a cosmetic overhaul, as well as ripping out the kitchen. While they installed new kitchen units and laid new flooring, they did retain the Belfast sink.
“We loved the sink,” Ken says, adding that it was very much in keeping with the character of the property. For the same reason, they retained feature wooden beams in the vaulted ceiling.
“We hummed and hawed about taking them away, but in the end, we decided they added to the character, so we left them,” Ken says.
The warmth of the ceiling beams picks up on the solid wood of the kitchen counter tops.
Upstairs, the main en suite double-aspect bedroom is under beams too. Wardrobes were handmade by a local joiner to fit with the roof angles.
Everything about this house is cosy and inviting, from the fairytale gothic double entrance door, to the salvaged gothic windows in one of two reception rooms.
Each reception room has a stove.
One has a beautiful, bow-shaped window and open-tread staircase, the other has a medieval feel, with its lovely old table, chairs, raised fireplace, beamed ceiling, and lime washed old stone wall.
It’s not a huge space, but it’s big enough for a trampoline and outdoor furniture, and it catches the sun.
“It’s a real suntrap in the evenings,” Ken says.
In the decade since they moved in, Ken has seen more change in the area than what Glanmire’s landed gentry arguably saw throughout their lifetimes.
“It was countryside when we came here. Where Ballinglanna is now was nothing but fields,” he says.
That all changed when O’Flynn Construction began the process of building hundreds of homes on the hilly ridge across the road from the Coach House. Today, more than 500 of those Ballinglanna properties are built and occupied. The whole road network has evolved and has been widened considerably. The Dunkettle interchange is just minutes away.
There’s change afoot next door to the Coach House too.
Glanmire Rectory, a beautiful Victorian property, is just over the wall and had been part of a 100-bed nursing home development that stalled.
Now however building activity appears to have restarted, which is good news for those living locally, as the half-finished building was in danger of becoming an eyesore.
Good news too for locals is the cycleway that runs through the area.
“It passes along the front of our house and will eventually link to the greenway in Glounthaune. It’s been great to be able to take the kids out for a cycle,” Ken says.
They’ve “loved living in the area” and especially enjoyed the privacy; they could close themselves off from the world behind high gates.
“It was great when our kids were younger.
“Once the gates were closed, they could run around and we enjoyed plenty of barbeques out the back.” Out front is fully paved, with room to park three cars. The area is served by bus routes too, with links to Cork City. A 10-minute spin in the car will also get you there.
If you prefer to park and ride, Little Island train station is five minutes away. Fota Wildlife Park is a 13-minute drive.
For your retails needs, there are plenty of supermarkets in Glanmire as well as a range of other services at Hazelwood and Crestfield.
Sport is well catered for through local soccer and GAA clubs such as Éire Óg and Sarsfields.
Schools are also in good supply.
Garry O’Donnell of ERA Downey McCarthy is selling the 205sq m Coach House and he says it’s a “beautiful blend of period charm and modern comforts”.
In terms of location, he says it is less than 3km to the Dunkettle interchange.
The agent expects interest from couples looking for a local maintenance, characterful home in a location that straddles the urban/rural divide, with good onward transport links.
His guide price for this captivating home is €475,000.
Charm in spades at this delightfully quirky home. Buyers should be hot to trot.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
