Residential

Let yourself go at Engleberg in Dún Laoghaire for €1.15m

With four bedrooms, a spacious living area and period features, this 100-year-old property has the feel of an old rectory about it, and buyers won’t have much to do, bar applying the odd lick of paint

Elizabeth Birdthistle's face
Elizabeth Birdthistle
Thu Jan 30 2014 - 00:00

Engleberg House on Mounttown Road in Dún Laoghaire was built in 1912. The house and its substantial gardens were purchased in 1990 by a developer with the intention of knocking it to erect a number of houses, but with many objections from local residents the house remained and the gardens were used to erect townhouses and apartments. What remains is a fine-sized period house with a small garden on a shared driveway.

The current owners have raised their family here for the past 15 years and are leaving Engleberg to retire to a Georgian house in Wexford where Oscar Wilde spent much of his youth.

The property, inside large electric gates, has the feel of an old rectory about it, and a wonderful architrave surrounding the front entrance is repeated throughout the house, notably in the front hallway and the roomy upstairs landing.

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The hall with pitch pine flooring has the original leaded glass doorway leading from an encaustic-tiled porch. Off the hall is a small living room with lovely bay windows, open fire and all the period features intact.

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Opposite, what were originally the dining and drawing rooms lies a very spacious formal living area, with dual aspect windows, original coving, picture rails and two fireplaces with ornate tiling one of which has been cleverly marbleized.

The new kitchen, a result of the amalgamation of the old scullery and kitchen, has a country feel it to it, with a gas fired Aga, exposed brickwork, terracotta tiles and a dining table which seats 10. French doors lead to the small garden on one side and a utility and small office lie off to the other.

Upstairs, the grand staircase, which originally branched off on both sides for servant’s quarters, has been closed on one side to provide a large en suite for the master bedroom. The landing is very spacious and would easily take a sofa and work as a reading room.

The master bedroom is well proportioned and, as with the other three bedrooms on this floor, has working cast-iron fireplaces, high ceilings and large leaded windows. A small WC and separate shower room complete the first floor.

Up a further staircase is a bright loft room with exposed rafters and lots of storage in the eaves, currently used as a fifth bedroom.

While there is some superficial work new owners may want to carry out, such as new carpets on the staircase and an odd lick of paint on the skirting boards, Engleberg House is a fine period property with a townhouse-sized garden and this is reflected in the price of €1.15 million through estate agent Vincent Finnegan.