Longwood, a four-bedroom detached house on two-thirds of an acre of secluded gardens in Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, carries a guide price of £1.5 million-plus prior to auction through O'Mahony Auctioneers on April 19th. At the end of Wynnsward Park, a cul-de-sac, and bordering UCD's Belfield campus, it has all the character and gracious proportions of a 1930s house. While there is development potential in the large gardens it would be a shame to uproot the giant magnolias and cherry trees.
A gravelled driveway curves to the front door. The house has been designed with different roof levels - two-storey bay windowed in the centre and a low hanging tiled roof over the arched entrance porch. A well-clipped privet hedge frames the front windows. Inside, most of the rooms have the deep coving and maple floors typical of the period. Off the hallway, there is a study/music room with a gas fire and bay-window. This leads through to a large drawing-room, with three windows looking out on front, side and back gardens. The Adam fireplace with brass inset came from a period house on St Stephen's Green.
A formal dining-room is between the sitting-room and breakfast-room at the rear of the house. The parquet-floored family room/breakfast-room area is where the present family congregates. This has a fireplace with a cast-iron surround and a bright dining end with sliding doors to a flagged terrace. A door from here leads into the kitchen.
The Arco solid oak units in the kitchen, while serviceable, will probably be updated by the new owner. There is Amtico on the floor and an oven, hob, extractor and deep fryer are included in the sale. A shelved utility room has a good walk-in airing cupboard with hanging space. Also in this area is a guest cloakroom with a shower.
Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms, one "almost double" bedroom, one single room and a family bathroom. The main bedroom, which overlooks the front garden, has built-in wardrobes and a large en suite bathroom. The other three bedrooms have wash-basins and wardrobes or shelves. A walk-in hot-press is off one of the smaller rooms.
The garden is enclosed by high stone walls and hedgerows and extremely private. Close to the house, there is a courtyard housing a separate well-fitted office suite with a cosy gas fire. The garage is beside this.
Wooded grounds protect the house on all four sides. Apart from a number of very old trees and shrubs, there are rose beds and specimen flowering trees. A crazy-paved terrace at the back is accessed off the family/breakfast-room and sitting-room.
