Rockview House has a distinctive setting in Co Sligo. Just south of Strandhill, it faces Ballysadare Bay, with Knocknarea rising behind it. The heat-retaining mountain cliffs create a microclimate around the house, while the absence of light pollution means the beauty of the night sky flourishes.
The area is home to one of the most famous and extensive midden sites – an ancient refuse heap comprised mainly of shells – in western Europe, dating from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The ancient oyster beds here are considered some of the oldest in the country, with the molluscs in demand across the world since as long ago as the 18th century.
The owner of Rockview House bought the property just over 25 years ago. It was in need of renovation, and he and his wife brought it back to bare bones before taking their time to sensitively restore it.
The house was originally built in the late 1700s or early 1800s and is thought to have been a staff cottage belonging to the old Culleenamore estate. A second floor was added in the early 20th century, and the current owners added a livingroom during their time here. Now extending to 194sq m (2,088sq ft), it is on the market guiding €695,000 through Sherry FitzGerald Draper.
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“Doing the house was a challenge, to say the least. It would have been very easy to disturb the integrity, and we really didn’t want to do that. We pulled it back to bare walls and, I’ll be honest, there were times that we wondered ‘what have we done?’, but we got it back to a cosy, warm home and kept its character.
“The only thing we really added was the livingroom to open out to the sea, but we made sure to make it look like it’s original.”
A stone wall with riveted double gates on the coast road marks the entrance to the property, with a gravelled driveway leading to the house. The old-style porch has space for mucky boots or sandy shoes, while inside, the hallway has an antique tiled floor and panelled walls.
Although renovated, the house retains the feel of an old country cottage, with interiors in keeping with its origins and earthy tones throughout.
There is a compact kitchen with fitted units, and a larger diningroom with timber beams, the original cottage fireplace surround and a solid-fuel stove. The drawingroom also has a stove in the original fireplace, with French doors opening on to the front lawn. The newer livingroom has a solid wooden floor and leads out to the gardens.
One of the nicest rooms in the house, and the owner’s favourite, is the study with fully panelled walls and rows of bookshelves with a recessed window looking out to the garden. There is also a utility room and guest bathroom on the ground floor.
Upstairs the landing has been opened up and provides a second office space or a reading room that could very easily be converted back into a bedroom. There is a bathroom beside this with a cast-iron bath, followed by the main bedroom with views out over the bay.
A second staircase at the back of the house leads to another bedroom with access to a balcony at the back of the house that looks out to Knocknarea mountain.
The gardens are mature, with fig, olive, magnolia, bay, apple and plum trees, as well as eucalyptus and beech. There is a fishpond, glasshouse, two garages and a timber animal shelter. Between the trees, views of the bay open out, with the lawn wrapping around the house.
It was the location that initially drew the owners to Rockview House, although it took time to fully appreciate the particular conditions of the setting. The mountain acts as a large curtain or wall to keep out light, while the cliffs create the microclimate that provides a longer flowering seasons in the garden.
“The lawn is elevated and looks out at the sea which is one of the largest sea colonies in Ireland. I am very biased, but I think it’s one of the best locations in Sligo. It’s hard to get this privacy so close to the sea,” says the owner.
“On the other side of the mountain is Sligo town and all its lights but we just have pitch-dark sky here. We are also sheltered in the bay, so we don’t have the winds like Strandhill. The changing light is amazing from the low and high tide, which I find extraordinary.”
The D2-rated house has history and heart that is not as easy to find, and is a home the owner will find difficult to leave behind.
“It’s a gem of a place. I’m extremely attached to the house. I’ve been enjoying it for 25 years but now it’s time for someone else to enjoy it. I hope they will take good care of it.”
