A crescent of 20 spacious semidetached Victorian houses lines the Hill in Monkstown, and properties here date from about 1840. Previously known as Monkstown Hill, a pair of these houses were first developed for two brothers of the Pim family, well-known local merchants who lived at nearby Monkstown House.
The pair of houses, known as Uplands, lie on one of the most desirable stretches in Monkstown. Number 1 Uplands has just been launched to the market through Sherry FitzGerald. “It’s a really restful house,” say the owners, “and it really feels like an oasis despite being so close to so many amenities.”
Because of this, it will tick quite a few boxes for well-heeled house-hunters in search of a period home full of architectural details standing on a good-sized plot in one of the most-sought-after areas of south Co Dublin.
Its enviable half-acre site is accessed via electric gates along a gravel driveway flanked by mature plants, leading to off-street parking for a number of cars, while herbaceous borders stocked with shrubs and trees lie to the rear in a most private garden.
The property, described as an “Italianate-style villa”, dates from about 1840, so is Ber exempt, and lies over two floors. Though it may appear to have a modest facade, do not be fooled: it stretches to a sizeable 320sq m (3,445sq ft) in total, about treble the size of an average three-bedroom house, so there’s quite a bit of elegant grandeur matching its charm inside.
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A flight of outdoor granite steps leads to hall level and the pièce de résistance of this early Victorian period property: a double reception room. It is full of natural light and views thanks to its dual-aspect bay windows, and has incredible plasterwork and the original white marble chimney piece creates a focal point, especially in winter, when a roaring fire adds to the ambience of the room.
Opposite lies the main bedroom, also dual-aspect, which has its own dressingroom and luxuriously appointed shower room. A second bedroom and bathroom also lie on this floor while an internal staircase leads down to the hub of this family home.
In addition to a third bedroom at garden level is an elegant diningroom with a curved bay window, grey veined marble fireplace and detailed ceilings, which sits adjacent to a garden room. With dual aspect overlooking both front and rear gardens, the garden room opens to to westerly facing green spaces via a set of French doors.
Also at garden level is a quarry-tiled kitchen, complete with a white Aga and Miele appliances, and ancillary rooms here include a utility room, a pantry and a cellar.
Beyond is a good-sized family room and a study, bringing the total numbers of reception rooms to five.
It is near renowned restaurants such as Bresson, That’s Amore and Avoca, and four yacht clubs, two tennis clubs and a popular sea-swimming spot are some of the reasons for the popularity of the seaside haven.
In terms of commuting, the area is served by the Dart, several bus routes and the Aircoach, which connects directly with Dublin Airport.
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Owners are downsizing locally after more than three decades here, so have placed their significant Victorian pile on a most private site on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €2.995 million.
