Equestrian estate 40 minutes from city

CO WICKLOW: €2.5M:A 160-acre farm once owned by Sir Chester Beatty will appeal to the horsey set

AN EXTENSIVE farm assembled in the 1950s at Ashford, Co Wicklow, by the world famous art collector Sir Chester Beatty is to be sold at auction on October 19th.

Jordan Town Country estate agents are guiding €2.5 million for Killoughter, a hugely attractive estate with 160 acres and a full range of equestrian facilities that will allow new owners to run it either as a stud farm, a horse training enterprise or a showjumping centre.

Despite the slowdown in land sales over the past three years, agent Paddy Jordan is confident of finding a buyer in the horse breeding industry or in the eventing or showjumping areas because of the high quality of the property and the superb location overlooking the coastline.

He said that at over €15,600 per acre, the property had been priced to sell before taking into account the attractive farmhouse and the wide range of equestrian buildings and facilities. These include 70 horse boxes, two automatic walkers, a horse spa and lunging ring, as well as a four-furlong all weather gallop.

The farm has produced a number of important winners on the flat, and has been used in recent years mainly for breeding as well as for preparing horses for training and the sales ring.

The main house is located at the end of a sweeping tree-lined drive. A traditional two-storey farmhouse it has a floor area of 186sq m (2,000sq ft) including three comfortable reception rooms and three bedrooms, one of them en suite. It retains most of its original features including sliding sash windows, and has been well maintained over the years.

The yard includes a stone-built cottage which was upgraded in recent years as staff accommodation. New owners will find the yard quite manageable because of the layout of the 70 boxes and the convenience of the training facilities.

There are CCTV cameras in the stables to monitor foaling. The yard also includes a traditional limestone loft and store with pitch pine floor and ceilings.

The land is laid out in several divisions, some it post and railed. The agent describes one 20-acre section of the farm as “low-lying”.

One of the main attractions of Killoughter is its location within 40 minutes drive of Dublin city centre. It is less than five minutes off the N11 and is within close proxmity to a range of golf clubs including Druids Glen.

Killoughter, Ashford, Co. Wicklow

Farmhouse on 160 acres

Agent: Jordan Town Country