Enniscorthy lodge has old-world charm

Ennicorthy: €450,000: A gate lodge on the Solsborough estate near Enniscorthy has been restored and comes with acres of mature gardens and woods to ramble in. Jack Fagan reports.

An early 19th century gate lodge, all that remains of the once famous Solsborough estate near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, is one of the most unusual properties to come on the market this year.

Local agent Sherry FitzGerald O'Leary is quoting €450,000 for the delightful Gothic-style Solsborough Lodge, which has been tastefully restored to fairly exacting standards and extended to make a comfortable family home.

It is hidden away on 1.75 acres of outstanding mature gardens and woodland only two and a half miles from the town of Enniscorthy. It is easily accessed off the N11 Rosslare to Dublin road.

The lodge is approached through iron gates supported by a stone wall and along a lovely old pebbled avenue. The garden is a haven for gardening enthusiasts and a children's paradise. There is a myriad of ancient trees, shrubs and wildflowers, endless walks through the woodlands and a lawn running down to a small stream. The gardens have an old-world appeal as well as immense seclusion and privacy.

The house is full of character and charm and retains most of its period details including high ceilings and Gothic-style windows. The accommodation comprises an entrance hall leading into a wooden floored sittingroom with an open fireplace housing a stove. The kitchen is equally comfortable and has a quarry-tiled floor and built-in presses. There are also three good bedrooms and a bathroom.

Solsborough Lodge is a fine example of the traditional gate lodge with cut-stone facade and although it was subsequently extended, the work was sympathetically carried out in keeping with the character and nature of the home.

The lodge now stands as a landmark at the entrance to what was the former Solsborough House which also dated from the early 1800s. Unfortunately an accidental fire in 1933 badly damaged the 18-room main house and it was later demolished, leaving only the gate lodge as a remainder of a once great estate with over 3,000 acres.

Solsborough was originally the home of Col Solomon Richards who was Governor of Wexford. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. It was later the headquarters of Gen Lake, whose army led the attack on the insurgents at Vinegar Hill on June 21st, 1798.