Country house in commuter belt for over €2m

A Westmeath country house on 77 acres dating back to the 15th century will be even more accessible to Dublin when the N4 gets to Kinnegad. Jack Fagan reports

Good country houses are frequently hidden away deep in the countryside, well outside a manageable commuting distance of Dublin. Wardenstown House, Killucan, Co Westmeath, does not have such a disadvantage as it is within five miles of Kinnegad, which later this year is to have a motorway link up with the N4 at Kilcock.

Even now, Killucan is little over an hour's drive of Dublin in off-peak times and that journey will undoubtedly be cut when the new roadway is completed.

These infrastructural improvements will obviously appeal to families interested in acquiring Wardenstown House and its 85 acres which are to go to auction on May 6th. Ganly Walters's guide price of €2 million-plus will seem a little on the conservative side given the quality of the house and its grounds and the fact that there are bound to be lots of buyers - some of them in the bloodstock industry - for a good farm in this convenient location with a house so ideal for entertaining.

Wardenstown has many of the characteristics that differentiate a good country house from a mediocre one - a sweeping avenue through ancient woodlands, reception rooms with fine proportions and handsome marble fireplaces, two particularly attractive bedrooms out of a total of six and seven acres of superbly maintained gardens. The house stands two storeys over basement and, though the original building dates back to the 15th century, when it was home to the Vandelier family (related to the knights of Kerry), it has been changed and altered over the years to suit the demands and whims of the various owners.

One of the most notable changes was the conversion to the Georgian façade after a fire in the 1800s. A wing was also added at that stage to provide additional bedrooms.

Even the present owner, who has lived at Wardenstown for almost 25 years, introduced several changes including a new study and overhead bedroom behind the original house which brought the overall floor area to over 464.5 sq m (5,000 sq ft).

Wardenstown's smaller than expected hall is compensated for by a double height ceiling, a wooden carved staircase lit by a period light fitting and an attractive fanlight window over double entrance doors.

The drawingroom is both spacious and elegant with an Italian marble fireplace, corniced ceiling and, most charming of all, a small semi-circular enclave off to the side with three tall bay windows focused on the gardens.

The diningroom on the opposite side of the hall has fairly similar proportions and lovely views over the mature grounds. The somewhat smaller study at the back of the drawingroom has equally good views over the gardens.

The kitchen is kept cosy by a fine Aga but new owners will inevitably upgrade the room with a range of new electrical cooking facilities and wall and floor units.

The basement has many possibilities. It has a huge range of rooms including a wine cellar, pantry, laundry room, original kitchen, flower room and office. Wardenstown has a separate three-bedroom garden cottage with two reception rooms. There is also scope to convert buildings in the two adjoining yards into residential use.

Outside the house, the gardens wrap themselves around three sides and feature a lovely old walled garden with a huge range of plants and trees nurtured over the years. These include 100-year-old rose bushes, box hedges, a tulip tree and a handkerchief tree, endless maple trees and snow gun trees. Unfortunately, two of the finest beeches were blown down in recent high winds.