It may have been built only 18 years ago, but a wealth of local architectural history has gone in to the design and construction of The Mews, a boutique development of five small townhouses built on the grounds of Monkstown Castle estate and boasting privacy and proximity to all the amenities Monkstown has to offer. The architects, De Blacam & Meagher, took their inspiration from the 18th-century architect John Skipton Mulvany, who carried out works at the castle, and also designed some of Dún Laoghaire and Monkstown’s most prominent buildings, including the Royal St George Yacht Club and Dún Laoghaire railway station.
A grand tree-lined gravel drive brings you up to this exclusive terrace just off Monkstown Avenue, which was built on the site of the original stables of the estate. The period-style three-bedroom house, extending to 107sq m (1,152sq ft) with a C1 Ber, is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €825,000.
The exterior of number 1 exudes old-world elegance with Blue Bangor slates on the roof, Carlow limestone in the eaves, sills and base plinth and painted mahogany windows and doors. Downstairs is an open living area, with a wheelchair-friendly guest WC to the front and a galley-style kitchen to the side, which can be accessed from either end. Oak flooring runs through the entire downstairs, including the entrance hall and on the stairs, while the living/diningroom has a lovely marble fireplace with a gas coal-effect fire, recessed lighting and double French doors opening out to a small but lush landscaped back garden, facing west to catch the sun right up to early evening. “It’s a real oasis,” says the owner.
The kitchen has granite countertops and mosaic tiled splashbacks with a contemporary-looking white floor and wall-mounted units. There’s an integrated fridge-freezer, a dishwasher, an oven and hob with an extractor fan, and an Indesit washing machine. Doors at each end of the kitchen allow for easy flow from the hall and into the living/diningroom – very handy for entertaining. The owner recently did some redecorating so the house is pristine and ready to move in to.
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Upstairs there’s a small single bedroom to the front and two doubles overlooking the back garden, one with a large fully tiled en suite featuring a bath with a mosaic-tiled surround. There’s a main bathroom on this level, too, also fully tiled, with a shower over bath and an ample hot press. A great feature of the two double bedrooms is that they have full-height doors opening out to the back instead of windows. Black railings make it feel like you’re standing on a balcony overlooking the garden, and you can just glimpse the roof of the big house through the trees that enclose the back garden, reinforcing a sense of total privacy.
Number 1 The Mews is close to Monkstown village, with its award-winning restaurants and numerous boutiques. As you stroll down you’ll spot the ruins of the 15th-century Monkstown Castle just off the roundabout. From here you can swing down to Monkstown Lawn Tennis Club and De Vesci Tennis Club, and also down to Seapoint bathing spot, the Irish National Sailing School and Salthill/Monkstown Dart station. There are several good schools in the area, including Scoil Lorcáin and CBC Monkstown, and it’s a five-minute drive to the shopping hubs of Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire.
