Started in 1720 and extended a century later, Jamestown Court is a fine country house that has been gently restored to full glory over the past 20 years
THE COUNTRY house market is in uncharted territory in this slump. Most of the great houses built by the landed gentry and prosperous business people have fallen heavily in value over the past three years.
There is no more forgiveness at the top end of the market than at the bottom. “We know from transactions that Dublin house prices have fallen by 60 per cent. Values in the country are down by a little less,” says Philip Sherry of Sherry FitzGerald.
Sherry will shortly put that assumption to the test when he seeks €2.85 million for a beautifully restored Gothic-style Westmeath estate, Jamestown Court, along with 62 acres of park and woodland. It is close to the N4 and the N6, about 16km from Mullingar and 96km from Dublin. The asking price will go nowhere near covering the overall cost of upgrading and refurbishing the house and gardens by two separate owners over the past 20 years.
When the previous owner bought Jamestown Court, one wing was roofless and derelict, while the other was just about habitable.
A huge programme of work over the years – and the care and attention to detail – has transformed it into a most appealing country house.
The present owner, a Northern Ireland businessman who has been in residence for four years, has spent more than €1 million on bringing the fabric and interior up to a high degree of luxury.
There is a spectacular double-height entrance hall, which is full of light from a row of east-facing windows yet is kept cosy by a handsome fireplace. There is a range of doors leading off in various directions.
One wing has an impressive diningroom, two libraries, a kitchen, a utility room and a breakfast room at garden level.
There are no fewer than seven reception rooms in all and the same number of bedrooms, and four of them are themed in the traditional styles of China, France, Italy and Rome.
The main bedroom suite occupies the entire north wing and it includes not only a huge bedroom with a door leading out to a private garden and gym but also a bathroom, a dressing room, a kitchen and a study.
The three-bay main block dates from 1720 when it was built by the Geoghegan family, who gave their name to the nearby town of Castletown Geoghegan.
Nearly a century later, the house was enlarged with the addition of the unusually long six-bay wings at either side of the Gothic-style main block.
Jamestown Court is on a secluded site with extensive formal gardens, endless lawns and rolling hills studded by ancient timbers.
The long winding entrance driveway through the estate runs past the restored ruins of a medieval church and an old tower house. The grounds also include a guest lodge, which is separate from the main house.
Sherry FitzGerald is handling the sale along with Sherry FitzGerald Davitt & Davitt.
The property will also be offered for sale on the international market through Christie’s.
