There aren’t many people who would look at a crumbling, old lime kiln and see the beginnings of their dream home, but the owners of Heathfield instantly fell in love with this woodland site in Kilmeedy, Co Limerick, when they first saw it more than 20 years ago.
The kiln, which was the only structure on the grounds, dates back to 1824, when it would have been built to help with the construction of neighbouring Heathfield House, which still stands today about a quarter of a mile up the road.
Rather than clear away the remnant of the site’s history, the owners decided to make it the centrepiece, creating a home with all the bells and whistles of castle living, but none of the cold, damp rooms.
From the outside it appears to be part-castle, part-cottage with the detailed stonework bringing the buildings together. The interior of the home is mix of modern and magical, with Gothic-style 2.7m-tall doorways, curved stone walls and a spiral staircase that rises up to a castellated rooftop terrace.
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While the architecture may be fanciful, Heathfield is also a highly practical family home. Extending to 486sq m (5,231sq ft), it has a B3 energy rating, underfloor heating on the ground floor, generous living and dining spaces, and five bedrooms, four of which are en suite.
You enter into a dramatic circular hallway with the staircase at the centre, while stone corridors lead off to the various rooms. The open-plan kitchen, which was renovated in recent years, has a large island at its centre and a walk-in pantry, while the adjoining living area features a fireplace and double doors opening out to railway sleeper steps that lead up to the garden. On the opposite side of the staircase is a more intimate sittingroom, where stone walls and timber beams create a cosy atmosphere.
Also on the ground floor is an en suite bedroom and a guest bathroom, along with a large storage room and a shed at the end of the house.
In a property of this scale, the owners have also thought carefully about the details that make everyday living easier. Stainless steel skirting boards require virtually no upkeep, while the travertine chisel-effect marble flooring throughout the ground floor is easy to keep clean.
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The remaining four bedrooms are on the first floor with the staircase continuing to roof level, where there is an office and doors out to the terrace complete with a built-in barbecue and putting green. On a clear night, the owner is glad they went the extra mile to add this turreted feature.
“On a bright, full-moon starry night, it’s great,” the owner says. “A glass of wine in the hand and then a bit of putting. It’s hard to beat.”
Set in the beautiful Ballinruane Woods, Heathfield feels like it’s in a world of its own with 0.33 hectares (0.84 acres) of landscaped ground and forest walks on the doorstep. The woodland environment brings responsibility however, so the owners have been careful to keep the trees around the house topped and under control.
Heathfield is now on the market through Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes with a guide price of €795,000.
Leaving such a unique home that they designed and built themselves won’t be easy for the owners, but they would love to see a family move in and use every inch of it.
“With our daughter now in college, the house is too big for the two of us. As a builder, I’m looking to get my teeth stuck into another project, something smaller just for ourselves.”
