Actor's childhood home in Howth for €1.45m

Howth: Actor Stuart Townsend - star of Queen of the Damned and About Adam - grew up at Hillside, a stunning mid-19th century house set on one-third of an acre of immaculate shaded lawns on Dungriffan Road in Howth, Co Dublin.

The classically handsome five-bedroom house accessed via a sweeping driveway is to be auctioned on September 25th. Selling agent Conor Gallagher of Douglas Newman Good is quoting a €1.45 million guide.

Stuart Townsend's father, former international golfer Peter Townsend, sold the house following the death of his wife Lorna Townsend in 1994 and built a smaller Victorian-style house on its grounds which he later sold. The current owners are trading down because its 247 sq m (2,750 sq ft) is too big for their needs now their family has left home.

An old-style conservatory to the front of the house can be accessed from the drawingroom, which has high ceilings, coving and a large sash window overlooking the rear garden. A family room to the right of the entrance hall has cushioned seating around a large bay window.

A walk-through cloakroom leads to a small guest toilet where the owners have replaced the original door with glass blocks.

Off the long dining hall is a French country-style kitchen which is extended with double doors to the rear garden. Also at this level is a games/storage room and a utility room with a door to a paved area, a side entrance and a storage shed.

Upstairs, the main landing is illuminated by two large windows on the stairwell. The main bedroom has wooden floors and sash windows on either side with views of the front and rear gardens.

There is an arch to a dressing area which has several wardrobes and a door to a terrace. The en suite has a Jacuzzi bath with gold taps, and a gold heated towel rail.

There is also a second bedroom and a study with a large bay window at this level - which could be converted to a bedroom.

Down several steps to a lower landing is a main bathroom with a freestanding bath, shower, bidet and two half-frosted windows.

There are also two small bedrooms - one has steps to the roof with panoramic views, although some sea views are obscured by very tall mature trees.

The gardens have been welltended: the front is very large and fringed with trees, hedging and shrubs. A secret garden area has a pond, bog oak sculpture and seating. The back garden is also very pretty with a pond, rockery and flowers around a neat lawn. It also has a large shed converted to an office and a summer house.