A Bray home described as "the most perfect specimen of the Tudor style of architecture to be found in Ireland" by the Irish Penny Journal in 1840 is for auction on July 24th by Jackson-Stops with a guide of £570,000 (723,750).
The original house, built in the 1830s to a William Vitruvius Morrison design, was divided in the 1970s into apartments and two houses. The property for sale - Hollybank House, Hollybank Demesne - is the largest of the units that were created at that time.
This striking house, at the end of a long driveway, is constructed of cut Wicklow granite and features gables, mullioned windows and tall carved chimney stacks. The demesne of which it is part covers 200 acres.
The house's arched entrance leads through a front-facing courtyard to a hall door with glazed panels. This opens into a wide bright hall with parquet floor, pale walls and glazed door to a sun terrace. To the right is a sittingroom with pink walls and a period slate fireplace. One window with a deep sill overlooks the front courtyard, while a French door curtained in mid blue opens to a rear patio.
To the right of the hall is a wonderful drawing/diningroom with wooden floor, deep yellow walls and two imposing French windows. One features a window seat, which tops exterior stone steps leading down to a rear patio.
The large kitchen/breakfastroom has fitted pine cupboards, a refectory table and a solid fuel cooker. A modern shower/utility room off the hall combines navy and white tiling and pine finish to smart effect.
The first floor is divided in two, with three bedrooms in the west wing all having fitted storage. A door opens from the landing corridor to the east wing, which has a fourth bedroom and modern bathroom tiled in deep green - with the original, wood-panelled cast-iron bath. A spiral staircase leads up to a stylish third-floor room with polished floor, high-beamed ceiling and exposed original stone wall.
Outside, the courtyard has parking for a number of cars. It has two looseboxes which would seem to have potential for conversion, subject to planning permission. A gated side entrance has a shaded path leading to the rear garden. This begins with a large sunken terrace with original flags. Five steps lead up to the lawn, bordered by tall trees including a venerable larch, and shrubs such as magnolia, rhododendron and azalea.
A shady path winds round to a plum, apple, pear and cherry orchard, with a wild garden section nearby.
The garden has many rare species such as the Chilean Fire Bush brought from overseas by a previous owner. Viewed from the lawn, the rear of the house, which is part covered in wisteria and climbing shrub roses and framed in its garden setting, presents an informal and delightful vista.
