Winton Grove feels like a movie set, rather than an Irish country house. No wonder rock star Rick Savage was attracted to it when he was looking for somewhere to raise his family away from it all. The Def Leppard bass guitarist bought the house with his wife, Paige, just over a year ago (for €1.8 million), but they didn't fully settle down, and are heading back to the UK – I guess that's rock'n'roll .
What they’re leaving behind is pretty fantastic however. The house is on 1.2 acres of enclosed and very private grounds, with a tennis court, woodland, a little stream, lawns and extensive decking. There are views of the Sugarloaf from the back deck, and across rolling fields, grazed by happy horses to the front.
Inside there’s a large hallway with a solid oak staircase that divides to bring you up to a wide landing, currently replete with gym equipment – so you can, if you’re so inclined, train on a treadmill while dreaming of hill walking instead. To the right of this, the master suite is enormous, with three dressingrooms and an en suite. Opposite are two more bedrooms and a bathroom.
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Back downstairs, there are a further two bedrooms and an office, plus a family room and diningroom, but it’s the kitchen that really steals the show. This is huge, with a double- height pitched ceiling, Spanish travertine floor, kitchen island and every appliance you could dream of. This leads on to a living room with a huge open fireplace and, again, a double- height pitched ceiling. It’s easy to imagine entertaining on a grand scale here –in total, there is 501sq m (5,400sq ft) of living space.
Cosier, though potentially highly riotous evenings are also to be had across the gravel drive in the small separate den. Open a pair of double doors and you find yourself in the Duke’s Inn, complete with full working bar (yes, beer taps included), and built-in screening gear. Upstairs is a games room, and another space currently used for storage, but this little pleasure palace is full of possibilities.
If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary, away from it all, and yet within a few minutes drive of Enniskerry village, golf clubs, horse riding, the Powerscourt Estate and Greystones and Bray, Winton Grove is worth a look. Any rock-star-style-bling is just on the surface (though the bathrooms really are fabulous), and it's the kind of house that can provide a canvas for your own style and taste.
It is for sale with Sherry FitzGerald with an AMV of €1.85 million.
