Mix of grandeur and warmth in Rathgar

A Victorian redbrick in Rathgar has been refurbished but comes with plenty of grand original features as well as an interesting history

THERE ARE TOUCHES of grandeur, a lot that is elegant and an all-over warmly welcoming feel to Galwally, a large Victorian redbrick house at 69 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin 6.

The vendors, who moved in five years ago, put heart and soul into a “top-to-toe” refurbishment which kept, and even improved on, many of the original features.

It shows: Galwally’s sweeping, high-ceilinged rooms, hallway and landing have arches and alcoves (a dozen in all), original doors and skirting as well as stained glass in windows and doors.

Galwally, for sale by private treaty through Sherry FitzGerald, has an asking price of €3.7 million – just slightly more than the €3.5million it sold for five years ago and a sign of these property times.

With four bedrooms (the main en suite with dressingroom and bathroom), three reception rooms and kitchen/breakfastroom, Galwally has a floor area of 297sq m (3,200sq ft), a large double garage and a lush wrap-around garden on a third of an acre.

It has history too. Built in 1895, Galwally was originally named Omdurman after the 1898 battle in Sudan.

It was occupied in the early 19th century by a UCD professor of chemistry and his large family and has a gloriously decorative marble fireplace in the drawingroom which comes from Avonmore, the Wicklow home of Charles Stuart Parnell.

The detached house has three storeys to the back and two to the front. The interconnecting drawing and diningrooms have all of the Galwally special features: ornate leaded glass topping wide windows and filling an arch over the double doors, alcoves, curves, walnut floors and the Avonmore fireplace. A rear, bay window invites the garden into the room.

The kitchen/breakfastroom is a brown and cream space fitted by SieMatic where a mirrored wall creates another dimension and double French doors lead to the patio/gardens.

To the front, the main bedroom has an arched bay window, oak floor and a contemporary, free-standing bath in the large en suite. All of the bedrooms are double and coolly relaxing in style.

Details such as the three panels in the front door which open to air the house, and the highly decorative original banisters, make all the difference and are everywhere you look in Galwally. Fitted carpets and curtains are included in the sale.

69 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin 6

Detached four-bedroom house built in 1895, refurbished but with lots of original features

Agent:Sherry FitzGerald