Buyers at the upper reaches of the residential market looking for a bolt-hole by the sea, near one of the most scenic towns in the south of Ireland might just find the place they’re looking for with Sprayfield on the outskirts of Kinsale. It’s a single-storey Georgian house, built around 1770, sitting on 40 acres of scenic coastal land, with panoramic sea views. The owners have upgraded, extended and maintained the property over the past few years, and now they’ve put this 311sq m (3,350sq ft) D1-rated period residence on the market through Savills Cork, seeking €4.75 million.
Behind electric gates, a reassuringly long driveway gradually sweeps down to Sprayfield; driving slowly, you can take in the lovely coastal views. The front of the house faces out to the sea to get the maximum benefit of the spectacular views; the grounds roll on down to the coastline, giving a sense of open space but also a feeling of privacy.
You can stroll out to the patio, which has a jacuzzi, past a beautifully manicured lawn and flower beds, down to a pond and organic vegetable garden and along a path through the trees that brings you down to a spectacular cliff walk along the coast – all within the 40 acres of the property.
It’s unusual to see such varieties of oak, beech, sycamore, walnut and birch trees on a coastal site, which makes the walk down to the sea seem extra special. Keep going on this walk for another 10 minutes and you reach Sandycove beach, a popular local swimming spot and a genuine Kinsale gem. Kinsale itself, a lovely coastal town famous for its restaurants and arts-and-crafts shops, is just a 10-minute drive away.
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An adjoining labourer’s cottage has been incorporated into the house and is now a large family room
The owners of Sprayfield are downsizing, but they’ve left little for new owners to do. Original period features are present and correct, including cornices and ceiling roses, marble fireplaces and a pair of stained-glass windows leading to the main hall. Just a couple of years ago, the owners installed new spring-loaded, double-glazed sash windows and a new front door, keeping it sympathetic with the period design, with the fanlight still in situ.
The spacious entrance hall has oak parquet flooring and runs the entire depth of the house all the way to the rear entrance. To the right is the lounge and to the left is the drawingroom; both have views of the coastline. The lounge has built-in bookshelves, while the drawingroom has built-in window seats. Further left is the diningroom with a bay window and a door leading out to the patio for your post-prandial.
The kitchen is to the rear, with a utility room, and is well-equipped with eye- and floor-level units and an oil-fed Aga; it opens into the large breakfast area, with a bank of wide, curved windows giving superb views out to the garden and the sea. There’s even an original servant bell box, though of course you’d never use such a thing these days – you can simply text your spouse.
An adjoining labourer’s cottage has been incorporated into the house and is now a large family room down three steps, with access to the garden. There’s a WC and a storeroom here too.
Anyone with an interest in equestrian sports might be delighted to find five large stables, a tack room and wood and hay stores
The main bedroom is at the far end of the house, and is dual aspect, with sea views. There’s a lovely stained-glass window above the door and the room has an original fireplace. A large en suite leads into a spacious walk-in wardrobe.
Three more bedrooms are to the rear, all well-proportioned with built-in wardrobes, and there’s a bathroom with a cast-iron bath and overhead shower.
Outside there’s ample parking for several cars, and there’s also a double garage where you’ll find the automatic generator and a charging point for electric cars. Above the garage, the owners have built a self-contained studio apartment, and there is planning permission to extend this into an even larger living space. You’ll also find tennis courts out here and a purpose-built stone wine cellar.
Anyone with an interest in equestrian sports might be delighted to also find five large stables, a tack room and wood and hay stores. The owners keep horses, and the stables are in constant use. There’s plenty of room for the horses in the fields running down to the sea, and they even have a field shelter near the trees.
