CO MEATH/€5.8M: The Naper family have lived at Loughcrew in Oldcastle, Co Meath since the 16th century. Now Charlie and Emily Naper, who run an annual opera festival there, are selling it, writes Rose Doyle
OPERA LOVERS upset by news that the alluring home of the annual Loughcrew Garden Opera, near Oldcastle, Co Meath is for sale can take hope from the owners' desire that the operas, and a multitude of other activities on the 200-acre estate, will continue under a new owner.
The Naper family came to Ireland in the 16th century to ownership of 180,000 acres in what is one of the most historic, and undeniably loveliest, corners of Meath. Whittled down to 0.11 per cent of its original size, today's Loughcrew is owned by Charlie and Emily Naper who are as one on their reasons for selling and moving on.
"We're selling it as a going concern," Charlie Naper says. "We've built something that is viable and can't do any more but want to see what we've done here continued and developed further."
Emily Naper says they've "put heart and soul into Loughcrew for a lifetime now and it's time to let someone else take over and continue. It's such a spiritual and healing place, and important to so many, many people, that I know it will go on.
"There were 900 sheep when we moved in, not a flower, not a path! We've done our bit, had our turn, and are leaving behind enormous potential for various kinds of development."
There's a lot for sale: the main house, its celebrated 17th century restored gardens and 200 green acres apart, the Napers are also selling an 1840s groom's lodge, stable lodge, two courtyard apartments, a number of large, partly-developed outbuildings (coach-houses, stables and haybarn), tennis courts with 16th century portico standing guard, studio, offices, garden visitor centre and coffee shop.
The asking price is €5.8 million through joint agents Savills HOK and William Montgomery.
Today's highly theatrical 372sq m (4,000sq ft) main house, which has seven/eight bedrooms, six reception rooms and kitchen/breakfastroom, was a once wonderful garden house, part of an 1820s design by architect Charles Cockerel for a Loughcrew House to replace the fire-destroyed 16th century original.
Cockerel's Loughcrew House was itself destroyed, also by fire, in 1964. At that point, the Napers refurbished and redesigned the garden house to live in, bringing all of its considerable and unique features into play.
A stone-built house attached to the courtyard, the flag-floored and creeper-clad palmhouses which bookend either end make lofty entrance halls, one doubling as a summertime diningroom.
The 60ft long centre of the house makes a dramatic drawingroom from where, through high, French-door style windows, there are views of the Loughcrew Hills, home to the megalithic tombs of 6,000-years dead chieftains.
A small study with a fireplace and a view (every room in the house has a view) makes a cosy retreat as does an overhead bedroom with deep, box window.
Most bedrooms have wardrobes and are en suite, all are staggered over two levels between the two wings of the house.
There's a playroom on the garden level and, underground, a remarkably dry, if eerie, labyrinth of original stone rooms put to various uses.
The rolling land is well-dotted with old trees, many of them beech and, it being spring, filled with primrose and daffodil.
" This summer's Loughcrew Garden Opera will go ahead as planned. Donizetti's Don Pasquale will be performed on Friday and Saturday, June 27th and 28th. www.loughcrew.com
