Nine acres for a sporting king in Kildare

Even though it was built just 16 years ago, the Georgian-style Shortwood House sits in the Co Kildare landscape as if it has been in the lush fields for more than a century.

“When you do it yourself, you get what you want,” says the owner, who raised her three children here. Coming from a family with a strong horsey pedigree, there is equine evidence everywhere, including post-and-rail paddocks and a pair of stables.

“We wanted to put our own mark on something, but design it to last, not just for fashion.”

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Just outside Straffan, the land in this area is known for giving great grass for horses. "Kicking King, the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, spent his summers here," the owner says.

While it's a great spot for serious riders, it's also heaven for ponies, and even though the children were able to hack safely around the peaceful country lanes, you're still only minutes from Sallins, with its direct rail link to Dublin, Straffan, the M4, M7 and Naas. And if golf is your bag, the K Club is also just across the fields.

Country chic

“It’s an old-style house, but new inside,” the owner says, and the look is rambling country chic. Downstairs the bright spacious hall leads into a drawingroom, diningroom, kitchen and familyroom. There’s also a utility room.

Large French windows open the house to the landscape, which, while having lovely views, is also sheltered by mature planting, including apple and plum trees.

The kitchen has an Aga, centre island unit and breakfast area with a bay window. This leads to a sunny patio with rambling roses, which in turn leads onto the lawn.

Upstairs, off a gallery balcony are the five bedrooms, with lovely tall windows that make the most of the light and pastoral views.

In all there is about 280sq m (3,000sq ft) of space.

The master bedroom has a dressingroom and en suite. “The house has evolved with the family,” says the owner. “We’ve outgrown it now, but it has been lovely to be here in the middle of the countryside, but close to everything.”

Shortwood House, which is for sale by auction on October 7th, has an AMV of €795,000.