To fully appreciate Annamore, an old Georgian gem in Blackrock – of which there are very few – it’s probably best to stand in the rear garden. The front façade of the house is to a simple design but the curvature to the rear, in the form of bow windows add an almost feminine feel.
In addition, these windows add much interest to the interiors – especially in the diningroom, livingroom and master bedroom where the walls sweep into rounded crescents.
Built in 1834, Annamore has been home to the same family since 1984, and now with an empty nest the couple are downsizing from their lovely home.
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The property was purchased from Percy Le Clerc, an architect who devoted his life to the preservation of Ireland's built heritage. As a former inspector of National Monuments, he stressed the need for restoration over preservation, believing that, where possible, buildings should be rendered fit for use.
This belief, and in a silent protest against the board he worked with, led him in 1958, to become a founding member of the Irish Georgian Society. His restoration legacy includes Bunratty Castle in Co Clare, Ballintubber Abbey, dating from 1216, Holycross Abbey and the medieval Dunguaire Castle in Co Galway.
Le Clerc kept a number of sheep in the rear garden of Annamore to keep the lawn trim, allowing him to better devote his time to the cultivation of orchids.
Besides the bow windows and curvature of the walls, there are some other lovely features here including a vaulted ceiling in the outer hallway, intricate architraves and a superb ceiling in the principal bedroom. "There is almost a Queen Anne feel to the interiors," says selling agent, Ronan O'Hara who is handling the sale for Sherry FitzGerald.
While new owners will want to update the house in parts, the kitchen – currently a narrow galley-type affair – could be amalgamated with a vast utility, store room and conservatory to give a superb informal family space.
In addition to two formal reception rooms, the property has an oak-lined study, a familyroom and four bedrooms.
The grounds, which extend to 0.4 of an acre, include a large formal pond, a giant Mimosa, rambling roses and the greenhouse where Le Clerc tended to his orchids.
Sherry FitzGerald is seeking €3.25 million for the detached property extending to a generous 307sq m (3,300sq ft) on a totally private site, something of a rarity in these parts.
Recent sales in the area show that houses of this calibre are always in demand. Ros Na Greine, on Avoca Avenue sold for €4.35 million in 2017, Lios An Uisce sold for €3.35 million in the same year. St Albans has just been listed as sale agreed – its asking price was €3.65 million – and across the road from Annamore, Eagle Lodge sold for €3.55 million earlier this year.
