Noel Pearson bought a refurbished Georgian rectory on seven acres in Wicklow eight years ago, but is now selling it to move back to town, writes BERNICE HARRISON
FILM AND theatre producer Noel Pearson is selling his home in Wicklow and moving back to Dublin city centre. It’ll be a big change after eight years of living in the sort of peace and quiet that comes with a period house on seven acres in a sleepy Wicklow village. But work commitments – his next movie is based in South Africa and plans for a major theatre production in Dublin are in the works – so he feels a move back to town makes most practical sense.
He bought The Old Rectory in Glenealy directly from its previous owner, an American who had the sort of deep pockets needed to modernise a house that dates from the 1790s. So when Pearson moved in, all the renovation work was done, including the addition of upmarket modern extras ranging from the smart en suites for each bedroom, underfloor heating at garden level plus a guest-house in the grounds.
Ashford agent McDonnell Properties is selling the 363sq m (3,900sq ft) house asking just over €2.9 million.
Georgian houses are all about symmetry and good proportions. Off the elegant marble-floored hallway are four rooms, two formal interconnecting reception rooms, a library and a snooker room. There’s a secret door in the bespoke bookcase opening into the snooker room, a quirky touch found in many period houses. The decoration throughout is in keeping with the age and style of the house.
Some time in the last century, the rectory was extended at the back without compromising the house’s proportions and effectively doubling the house’s size. The impact of that work is seen most in the three upstairs bedrooms, which are all large with en suites. The largest bedroom also has a dressingroom.
The extension added to the space at garden level, making room for a fourth bedroom with an en suite; an impressive, room-sized entrance hall; a music room; a comfortable livingroom and a kitchen fitted out with granite topped units and an Aga. Off the livingroom is an old fashioned timber conservatory painted white.
While the house is in Glenealy village, behind the Church of Ireland graveyard and fine old church, it’s not visible from the road. Its garden, as much as anything, is what will help sell this fine house and it’s ideal for a growing family.
The seven acres of land is divided into several naturally flowing sections. There’s a beautifully planned walled kitchen garden complete with greenhouses which up until recently was tended by a gardener who had worked in the house for 40 years; a paddock; a lushly-planted forest garden with a stream running through and a charming old pergola.
Directly in front of the house is a sweeping driveway and lawn, fringed with mature shrubs and trees.
Beyond the lawn is a couple of acres of wild woodland. The one-bedroom guest-house is in a separate walled area of the garden behind decorative old gates.
It used to be a poolhouse but former owners had small children and were concerned about safety and filled the swimming pool in and planted the area in a formal style with box hedging.
