Glenfield is a beautiful period property set in extensive gardens on Bray’s Thornhill Road, opposite St Gerard’s School. The current owners have lived in the five-bed house for 35 years and have “loved living here”, enjoying the house with its well-appointed rooms and carefully curating the lovely gardens.
Built in the 1830s, Glenfield was one of many houses developed on large grounds in this part of Bray. The Sugarloaf looms over the fields outside the 318sq m (3,422sq ft) house, visible from almost every window on its south side. The five-bedroom home is on the market with Knight Frank, seeking €1.795m.
There are two entrances: one into a formal, octagonal hallway that leads to the reception rooms; and another more frequently used door on to a back hallway that leads through to the kitchen.
Using old pine cupboards from the adjoining pantry, the owners have created a country kitchen complete with reconditioned Aga. Behind the kitchen is a second one, the original kitchen of the house, and still has its old units and worktops. Beyond this is another utility and a boot room.
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The house is listed, so tempting as it may be for new owners to think these rooms could be knocked together to create a larger kitchen, it likely will not be possible to change the current configuration.
It’s doubtful it would matter, as the layout of the ground floor is utterly beguiling, with a cosy sittingroom adjoining the kitchen that has a wood-burning stove and a window seat. Next to it lies the hall with stairs and on its far side, an impressive diningroom, complete with antique portraits and, an addition to the house built in the 1930s, a large, charming drawingroom. This has a beautiful fireplace, Georgian-style panelling on the ceiling and windows overlooking a broad sweep of lawn, topped by the Sugarloaf.
Upstairs, there are three bedrooms to the front of the house and two to the back. The bedroom on the front left has sloping eaves. On the far side of the landing is a large study that leads on to the principal bedroom, an ancient Spanish Chestnut tree spreads its majestic branches just outside the windows. A dressing area and en suite bathroom lie behind the main bedroom so, along with the study, it feels very much like a completely self-contained retreat.
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A family bathroom lies down a couple of steps and past it are two further bedrooms – one currently used as an artist’s studio and the second has an extensive cupboard that could be converted to an en suite. There are fireplaces in all of the bedrooms, though many of them have been boarded up. While the house is Ber-exempt, the owners undertook plenty of renovations over the years, such as replacing the windows.
Once out in the gardens, it’s immediately obvious why the owners are “reluctantly going” and how much they will miss the space – the tranquillity, the incredible views and the proximity to Bray and the sea. The grounds, 0.9 hectares (2.3 acres), are laid out almost like a series of interconnecting outdoor rooms, with hedges and planting dividing them. There is ample room for another build, subject to planning permission.
A long lawn stretches out from the front of the house, a summerhouse and a studio are in the second garden beside it. There was once a pool here and the studio was the pool house. A tall bank of pines buffer the prevailing winds that sweep down from the mountains and protect the house. There’s a vegetable garden, a very pretty rose garden, a mini orchard with very old apple trees and a glasshouse. There is also a long line of sheds, with a potting shed, a workshop, a bike store and a woodstore, as well as a garage, complete with pit.
The property is 10 minutes by car to the Luas stop at Bride’s Glen and the M11 is close by.
