Classical Georgian grandeur

Classically Georgian country houses within commuting distance of Dublin don't often come on the market, and it is all the more rare to find one that is in walk-in condition.

Woodtown House, near Athboy, Co Meath, scores on both counts. An imposing property on five acres of gardens and paddocks, it has been carefully restored with close attention to period detail and little expense spared.

Situated at Woodtown, four miles from Athboy and 38 miles from Dublin, the nine-bedroom house is to be auctioned on April 14th by Keane Mahony Smith, with a guide price of £500,000.

Dating from 1725, it was once the home of the Bishop of Meath. Nowadays it is an elegant country house decorated in rich colours throughout and with all its fine timber floors stripped and polished. The original bell system is in working order, as well as all window shutters.

Ideal for entertaining, or for bringing up a large family, the house is reached at the end of a long avenue. It could also be converted to a small country house-style hotel. The gardens feature an array of rose beds, flowering shrubs and mature lawns, and there is a walled garden, used as one of two paddocks.

The rooms are bright and airy with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Stone steps lead to the reception hall which has decorative plasterwork and an arch, as well as a striking ceiling centrepiece, a fanlight and tiled floor. The doors and architraves have been stripped at hall level to reveal mahogany woodwork. Off the hall is the drawing room, with a bow window and French doors to the garden. Again, there is attractive ceiling plasterwork and a centre-piece as well as a marble fireplace.

Also off the hall is the dining room, with an open fireplace and a distinctive Georgian slate mantelpiece. The walls are decorated a deep terracotta red shade, and there are sash windows.

The morning room is smaller, but again it has an open fireplace, a marble mantelpiece and a ceiling centrepiece.

The study is a cosy room with an open fireplace with marble mantelpiece as well as cornicing and a centre-piece.

An inner hallway has a cloakroom and separate lavatory. An impressive pine staircase leads to the upper floors. The main bathroom is on the first floor and has a Victorian bath and shower attachment.

The main bedroom is a vast room with an open marble fireplace, cornicing and marble mantelpiece. Its en suite bathroom has a pine wainscotting and walls painted a deep teal blue from the Farrow & Ball collection. The bath and twin wash-hand basins are antique style. The guest bedroom has an open fireplace with a marble mantelpiece, a bow window and an interconnecting door to the main bedroom's en suite.

The third bedroom is also on this floor and has a stripped pine mantelpiece, while the fourth bedroom has a cast-iron fireplace.

The views get even better from the second floor. There is another bathroom as well as a further five bedrooms. Some of these could be converted as en suites or used as studies or, as staff quarters.

At garden level the kitchen is a very large room with a vaulted ceiling and stone flag floor. It has a solid fuel stove, and period style built-in cupboards. Off the kitchen is a cellar and a utility room, both with stone floors. Also at this level is a family dining room along with a family room - with pine floor - and a boot room. Both of these rooms have vaulted ceilings. A shower room is also nearby.

Outside is a small cut-stone yard, three lofted loose boxes and a railed exercise paddock as well as the original summerhouse and a two-car garage off the main avenue.

The nearby Stoneyford River is noted for trout fishing and two golf courses are in the vicinity as well as Delvin Castle and Ballinlough Castle. There is racing at Navan and local hunts are the Tara Harriers and Ballamacads. Dublin airport is a 45-minute drive.

Woodtown House qualifies for Section 19 tax relief, allowing its owners to offset refurbishment costs against income tax on the condition that the house is open to the public for 60 days per year.

New owners will also benefit from ancient turbary-rights - meaning you can pick your own turf.