Former mills are spacious homes

Arlands Inch, the home of authors Peter and Gillian Somerville Large in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny is one of a number of interesting…

Arlands Inch, the home of authors Peter and Gillian Somerville Large in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny is one of a number of interesting mill properties that come to the market this week. Once an international centre for Russian performing arts, the Noreside property stands on an acre of ground. It is expected to make over £375,000 at auction through Ganly Walters Boyd auction on May 19th. The 4,500 sq ft two-storey over basement house has been renovated over the years and since one of the previous owners was a heating contractor it has a highly efficient heating system.

There are five bedrooms, four bathrooms and several reception rooms, including two large galleries.

The property, which can be seen from the bridge at Thomastown, lies close to the Mount Juliet estate. The house overlooks a weir, where, according to the owners, you can see the salmon leap. Ganly Walters Boyd is also handling the sale of Newtown House and Mills near Durrow in Co Laois. The Georgian house, with its water mill, mill pond and mill race, stands on over eight acres of land, and is for sale by private treaty at £250,000.

The property is located three miles south of Durrow off the Dublin to Cork road.

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The two-storey over basement house is a manageable size for a country residence and has kept many of its period features. At hall level there is a drawingroom, diningroom and breakfastroom, all with marble fireplaces. Upstairs there is a very large landing with a bedroom and box room off. There are two further bedrooms, and a bathroom.

At basement level there is a large kitchen with an oil-fired Aga, housekeepers' rooms, laundry, dairy and store room. The mill, which was in use until the 1970s, is an impressive cut stone five storey building with a wealth of original milling machinery. Meanwhile, the Lisney agency is offering an interesting redevelopment opportunity in Co Carlow where St Mullins Mill and Woodville House in the village of St Mullins goes for auction on May 18th. Lisney is quoting a guideline price of £350,000 for the buildings which front on to the river Barrow and stand on 7.5 acres. The property may be sold in one or five lots.

St Mullins is a quaint and attractive village founded as an early Christian settlement in the middle of the 7th century. The village is at the tidal point of the river where a small tributary flowing from the nearby mountains formed the mill race of the flour mill on the site. Finally, in the west of Ireland a 200 year old mill building at Kilconnelly near Tuam is on the market through Heaslips of Galway at £80,000. The three storey cut stone mill building stands on two acres.

Orna Mulcahy

Orna Mulcahy

Orna Mulcahy, a former Irish Times journalist, was Home & Design, Magazine and property editor, among other roles