A house on 1.5 acres with development potential in Shankill is one of a pair of semi-detached late Georgian houses on grounds where a medieval castle once stood.
Barn Close, a protected structure built in 1824, has many of its original features, like ceiling coving, large sash windows with shutters, marble and cast-iron fireplaces and its original stone-floored kitchen.
It has been updated over the 34 years since Geoffrey Perrin bought it from Simon Campbell, a distant relative of his late wife's, the son of nationalist Ulster poet Joseph Campbell. It was reroofed in the 1990s, and has central heating, but needs considerable refurbishment to bring it up to modern spec.
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Now the 362sq m (3,897sq ft) five-bed house with a separate two-bedroom bungalow in the 1.5-acre grounds is for sale for €1.9 million through DNG.
Fortiori Developments made a successful application to build 61 homes on the site of Barn Close and the adjoining house, Beechlands – it was approved by An Bord Pleanála in May this year.
The deal between developer Fortiori and the owners of Beechlands and Barn Close has not progressed and, as a result, Barn Close is now being sold separately, says DNG agent David Dobbs. One of Fortiori's directors is Shane Taggart, son of businessman Paschal Taggart.
The entrance to Barn Close is on a bend of busy Shanganagh Road in Shankill, between Commons Road and the Texaco Garage, backing onto Broomfield Court, a small cul-de-sac of suburban houses.
A driveway leads past an old tennis court and a tree-filled front garden to the front door, which opens into a timber-floored hall painted a vivid shade of pink.
On the right is a drawingroom with French doors opening to the rear garden; doors open from here into the diningroom, which was sometimes used as a games room and a party room by the four children who grew up here. Both are bright, with windows looking into both front and back gardens.
On the left of the hall is a large livingroom; it opens into a small sunroom at the back of the house, between the kitchen and a study.The kitchen has two large windows and an Aga; there’s a utility room off it opening into a sheltered courtyard with a number of sheds. Accommodation downstairs also includes a den/family room that could be a sixth bedroom.
Stairs from the front and back hall lead up to five double bedrooms; there’s a large bedroom over the diningroom with windows looking to front and back. The main bedroom at the back of the house is bright, with two deep windows, and a cast-iron fireplace with pretty tiles inset.
The two-bedroom bungalow in the front garden needs refurbishment. There are lawns at the front and back of Barn Close, with a path leading around a large wooded area.
Shanganagh Castle (not to be confused with the 18th century house in Shankill until recently used as a prison) was a medieval castle that burnt down in 1783 and was then used as a barn, hence the name “Barn Close”. The castle ruins are in the grounds of neighbouring Beechlands.
