Glenageary from the Irish, “Glen of the Sheep”, consisted of large manor homes and estates until the 1940s when many were demolished and replaced with smaller housing units. Thankfully, Gowrie still stands and, as it is a listed building, will remain to accommodate subsequent generations.
Originally, the house had large farmlands that stretched to Rochestown Avenue, some of which were sold in 1920 to Dún Laoghaire golf club. The garden size has shrunk considerably to 1.17 acres over the years, but is still very large by suburban standards, and even hosted a recent family wedding.
South-facing conservatory
Raymond Walker and his wife remember when they moved in 42 years ago "there was a pig farm and beautiful stables next door, and having stables nearby meant many of the former residents of Gowrie could keep horses".
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The Walkers, having raised four children here, are now in search of a smaller property in the vicinity of the house they will both be sad to leave. Gowrie is on the market with estate agent Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €1.5 million.
The property is large at 252sq m (2,750sq ft) with restrained grandeur and set back from the main road on a tree-lined entrance. It oozes charm and character and one can only imagine the parties held here over the past two centuries. The original features are intact, down to the working shutters on the full-length windows and French doors that grace the well-proportioned drawing and dining rooms.
A south-facing conservatory has large plant beds housing Mimosa and a 50-year-old Plumbago and overlooks the secluded gardens filled with mature herbaceous borders, off which a small pathway leads to a fruit and vegetable garden with a glasshouse and garage.
Ornate ceiling
The original kitchen, now used as a playroom, houses part of the original range dating from the early 1800s. New owners might want to revert to use this as a new kitchen with its garden access. From these kitchens, an external stairway leads to the old servant's quarters which house a self-contained flat. The current kitchen was built in the past 60 years and has a green ESSE range.
A wide sweeping staircase with an ornate ceiling is the focal point of the house and leads to the bedrooms upstairs, the master of which has an adjoining nursery which could easily be transformed into an en suite. The three further bedrooms are a good size and all have the original sash windows and share a substantial family bathroom. A small staircase provides access to the roof, which has a parapet hiding the low-rise pitch.
While new owners will want to update Gowrie, this graceful Georgian pile with such a large garden is a rarity in Glenageary and is sure to attract interest.
