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4 of a kind
4 of a kind: Elegant and secluded country estates
One even has its own swimming pool, croquet lawn and tennis court.
THE COMBINATION OF A spacious, luxurious home and acres of grounds is the dream for many house hunters.
From a castle in Antrim to a period country home in Limerick with its own swimming pool, croquet lawn and tennis court, we’re taking a look inside some of the most lavish estates on the market.
Wondering what kind of a country homes are on sale at the moment? Take a look inside these elegant properties, starting at €950,000…
Ballingarry, Co Limerick – €2 million
Sitting on 17 acres (though 37 acres are available), Ballyneale House is only 34 miles (55 kilometres) from Shannon Airport. It consists of a 8,000 square foot seven-bedroom house, manager’s house, staff apartment, all-weather tennis court, swimming pool, courtyard stabling and grazing paddocks.
Built in 1853, the grounds include an orchard with fruiting trees, a productive kitchen garden, a stone courtyard with stabling and coach houses, plus a ‘secret garden’ with a swimming pool and sun terrace, facing south and west.
Templepatrick, Co Down – €1.5 million
Set behind the original estate walls, the seven-bedroom Castle Upton sits on mature parkland and manicured gardens, but is only a few minutes from the M2 motorway and only 12 miles from Belfast city centre. It’s had renovations including re-roofing, re-wiring and re-plumbing.
Throughout the house are original features such as double-height ceilings, intricate plasterwork displaying the Upton family crest, Italian marble chimneys and plaster depicting classical scenes. The courtyard includes a large self-contained office which was formerly an art gallery.
Ardee, Co Louth – €1.25 million
Knockabbey Castle is a historic castle and gate lodge is located only an hour from Dublin and is set on around 30 acres. Originally built in 1399, the house was extended in 1650 with a six bay, three-storey extension, remodelled in 1754 and completely rebuilt in 1925, and has recently been restored to the highest standards.
As a result, the home contains historical characteristics from three distinct eras that include vaulted ceilings, stone-flagged floors, fireplaces with wood-burning stoves, a stone spiral staircase and a museum room.
Kilkea, Co Kildare – €950,000
Forgefield House is an elegant Victorian-style house set on almost two acres of land, positioned in the quaint village of Kilkea, co Kildare, almost opposite the main gate to Kilkea Castle, alleged to be the oldest continuously-occupied castle in Ireland.
The four-bedroom property also contains a number of outbuildings including a studio, a two-storey garage and a plant room. Inside, the reception room has a joint fireplace connecting with the living room, while a sweeping curved timber staircase with an open gallery leads to the bedrooms on the first floor.
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