A large terraced house near the city is greatly enhanced by the retention of most of its original features. Rose Doyle reports

Number 18 Dartry Road, Dartry, is a large, versatile, terraced house set back from the busy Dublin 6 road by a shared access, 106ft long gravelled driveway.

Built c. 1864, it has two storeys over a garden level, granite steps to the front door, four bedrooms and three reception rooms - or vice versa if a new owner preferred to vary the combination.

It is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald which is guiding €1.8 million and putting it to auction on October 21st.

East-facing to the front, it's a 232 sq m (2,500 sq ft) light-filled house in which almost all of the original features - including internal panelled doors, cornices, centre roses, sash windows with functioning shutters, a Dado rail and banisters - are intact.

Both of the well-proportioned, main reception rooms have elegant, matching marble fireplaces with slate and brass insets. Picture rails, cornice work and ceiling roses add elegance to the glorious deep oranges and yellows of the decor.

There is a mat-well by the front door, over which a large, plain glass fanlight throws light onto the ornate plasterwork, Dado rail and polished pine floor of the hallway. The door and lock are the originals.

The galley-style kitchen and the breakfastroom are on the hall return. The white-painted kitchen has granite worktops and tiled backsplash.

A polished timber floor leads on into the breakfastroom where a vaulted ceiling has two Velux windows.

A set of three, glass panelled doors open onto a veranda which has steps leading down to the 117ft long rear garden.

A separate entrance to the front, garden level family/music room is reached via steps along the side of a small, terraced garden landscaped with Indian sandstone and recycled Dolphin's Barn brick. The family room has a Junkers floor and wall of built-in shelving.

In the hallway at this level a black and white tiled floor leads to understair storage, hotpress, latched door to the rear garden and a shower room with toilet and wash-hand basin.

A bedroom overlooking the rear garden has a cast-iron fireplace with tiled inset and window over the garden.

The main bedroom is off the first floor landing and has a pair of high, built-in wardrobes in the style of the house's period. Two sash windows overlook the front of the house.

A third, rear bedroom has an attractive, cast-iron fireplace with horseshoe-shaped inset while the fourth, smaller bedroom (on the first floor return) has a window with rear, apple tree views.

The family bathroom has an attractively arched window overlooking the garden and a second window onto the landing. The bath is the deep, roll-top kind, the floor is tiled and there is a wash-hand basin and toilet.

A patio to the side of the house is bounded by a granite wall and leads to outside access to a utility room.

The narrow, rear garden has a Barna shed, cropped lawn, granite pedestal bird bath and a variety of fruit trees and other growth along the wall. There is private, rear vehicular access for residents.