Former forge cottage in Ranelagh for €525,000

Collier’s Avenue is a tiny cul-de-sac adjacent to Sandford Park School in Ranelagh which many commuters will pass on a daily basis, unaware of its existence.

A row of whitewashed cottages, some of which have now been refurbished, lie on either side of what is now known as Sandford Row – a set of modern two-storey properties which were constructed on an infill site in 2004.

The avenue was previously known as Major’s Lane – after Major Henry Charles Sirr, who was responsible for the arrest of Robert Emmet – as the avenue once led to his home.

Number 4 is the first property on the lane and is listed on Ordnance Survey maps from 1876 as a forge; presumably it was attached to the large coachworks which sat at the entrance.

Purchased by the current owner in 2003, the property underwent a complete refurbishment in 2008 overseen by engineer Brendan English, which almost doubled its size, as it now has 86sq m of living space.

Remarkably there are three bedrooms in its current layout – one of these is used as a television room, but could easily be reinstated as a bedroom if the wall of shelving is removed.

Open fireplace

The cottage entrance opens straight into the living room, with walnut flooring and an open fireplace, which in turn leads to the kitchen.

From here, down three steep steps, is a bright dining area thanks to an overhead Velux and a large window onto a tiny courtyard. New owners may want to address the gradient of the steps with some type of barrier, as it might be a little unsafe, especially for children.

On this level is a second bedroom, a fine sized bathroom and French doors to the courtyard.

The piece de resistance is the master bedroom on the upper floor. It is incredibly bright thanks to a Juliet balcony which takes up an entire wall. Adjacent is an open bathroom with floor to ceiling travertine marble and a large rain shower.

Number 4 is completely deceptive from the exterior – the original cottages along the avenue measure 34sq m. Next door, number 5 is listed as sale agreed. Measuring 54sq m it was asking €350,000 through DNG. Number 18 at 34sq m is asking €275,000 through Hooke & Mac Donald. Number 4, with more than double the space is asking €525,000 through Sherry FitzGerald.