Built around 1900, Gorse Hill on Howth Head has been well cared for by its three owners and retains its period atmosphere, writes Rose Doyle
Gorse Hill, Baily, Howth, Co Dublin has heart-stopping views. The views of the bay, and of a surprisingly peaceful looking city sheltered by mountains, are mere details in a curving sweep of coastline vista stretching as far as Wicklow Head. The verticals stand out too; a not quite glittering Spire, the Poolbeg chimneys, the peak of the noble Sugar Loaf.
Built around 1900, Gorse Hill has only had three owners since then and has all the signs of a house much appreciated and cared for by those who have lived there.
Modernised, but carefully, its period mood - along with features such as cornicing, windows, fine staircase, fireplaces and balcony - is intact. Decorative detail such as cabbage rose wallpaper help maintain the spirit of period. Its late Victorian architect made the most of its elevated position on the southern slopes of Howth Head when he wrapped a first-floor balcony around the front and sides and laid out terraced garden walks.
There are five bedrooms and four/five reception rooms over a floor area of 298sq m (3,206sq ft) and agent Lisney, which is guiding €2.5 million, will be putting Gorse Hill to auction on May 10th.
Not yet in leaf, a suitably atmospheric Virginia creeper hovers about the front entrance and a porch which has leaded glass in the door and a decoratively tiled floor.
A ground-floor sunroom, following the balcony's sweep across the front and round the sides of the house, is reached via a couple of sliding patio doors from the main interconnecting reception rooms. Sea and city views apart, the sunroom looks down on the botanical splendour of terraced displays of rhododendrons, Japanese maple and other Howth- popular foliage.
The reception rooms, which also stretch the width of the house, are full of light and views. Chintz curtains, pale ochre walls and white woodwork maintain the period mood as does an original fireplace with green tiled inset and hearth and shining brass canopy. The original panelled doors are intact down to the brass finger plates and knobs.
A mahogany fireplace has been relocated to the diningroom and given a newish, marble inset. The floor here is cork tiled, the ceiling wood panelled and a side window looks out on the steeply climbing garden and tall Scotch pines bordering it.
The adjoining family room is also cork-tiled while a compact kitchen has a range of white-painted fittings and a splashback of white, mosaic-style tiles.
An inner lobby leads to a utility room which has a Belfast sink. A guest toilet, off the entrance hall, has a separate cloak-hanging area with wash-hand basin and wood-panelled walls, while to the front of the hall there is a small study with brick fireplace.
With panelled wood to one side and original bannisters to the other, the stairs turn and pass by long, narrow side windows (these are a feature elsewhere in the house too) before turning to dramatically face a glass door on the landing on to the balcony and those unsurpassable views. The landing itself, which has a hotpress, is awash with light from a vaulted, period skylight.
One of the bedrooms has a fully tiled en suite with shower while the bedroom has a fitted vanity unit, wall of wardrobes and windows to the side.
A second bedroom has a large, picture window to the front a while a third, smaller bedroom to the rear has timber flooring, fitted wardrobes and a vanity unit. A fourth bedroom has side and front windows as has the fifth, larger and golden-coloured room. There is also a family bathroom with a bath and a separate shower.
A high-walled courtyard to the side of Gorse Hill leads to the garage with its separate storage rooms. The courtyard gives access to storage under the stairs and to a path that climbs through the garden to an access road and the short walk to Howth Golf Club.
