Coming to the end of Seamount Road and seeing a chateauesque building up ahead nearly takes your breath away. This road near Malahide village is a cul-de-sac with a variety of house types from 1970s bungalows to new developments. A French-style mansion is the last thing you expect to see as you reach the top of the road but, then again, this was the home of the Jameson family, so a bit of flair is inevitable.
Seamount House was originally built some time before 1816 on the Talbot estate. It became a summer home for the Jamesons, renowned globally for their whiskey, around 1890. However, much of the original building was destroyed in a fire in 1905, so the house was largely rebuilt by the family following that. The second incarnation was more ornate. The two-storey neo-Elizabethan property was built using sandstone blocks, pebble-dashed walls and red clay tiles, with a turret of sorts at the rear adding to the castle vibes. A stained-glass window depicting the Jameson coat of arms with the motto “sine metu” (without fear) is thought to have been installed at this time.
A gravelled driveway takes you up to the front door with a granite step leading into the hallway with smoothly worn black and white tiles. There is a cloakroom and a washroom to the left and an archway to a comms or storage room to the right.
The reception room is the beginning of the formal rooms in the 660sq m (7,104sq ft) house, and it definitely sets the tone for what lies ahead. The room, where guests would have been originally welcomed into, has a striking hand-painted coffered ceiling, restored maple floors and a bay window with the original stone surrounds and padded seating looking out to the sea. There is a recess to the staircase at the back allowing one to catch a glimpse of the stained-glass window.
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The triple-aspect drawingroom beyond this runs from the front to the back of the house. Again, it is filled with features, such as the large bay windows with seating, a marble fireplace set into an arch and polished maple floors.
The diningroom is on the other side of the reception room. Set out with a long table with chandeliers overhead and double bay window, the room somehow manages to be both ceremonious and welcoming.
The hearth and brickwork from the original kitchen are still in place in the breakfastroom, as well as the diamond-red quarry floor tiles. An archway leads into the newly renovated kitchen that hasn’t lost any of its charm in the process. The ceiling has timber beams and bespoke joinery and plasterwork carefully blending new and old to create a fully functional heritage-style space.
There is also a TV room on the ground floor that has double doors to a sunroom that looks out to the garden and the sea beyond, fondly called “the getaway room” by the owners.
There are two staircases to the next floor. One is the original main staircase that takes you on a dramatic journey up by the Jameson crest windows. The other is the back staircase that would have been used by staff, which leads to another staircase on the first floor that goes up to what would have been the staff bedrooms at the top of the house.
The showstopper on the first floor is the principal bedroom. The suite has two oval windows on each side of the bed as well as a bay window looking out to the sea, and a high-end en suite bathroom. There are four more bedrooms and two bathrooms on this floor.
Up at attic level the spacious landing has been set out as a gym. There would have been plenty of room for the staff at Seamount House back in the day as there are four decent bedrooms on the top floor and a bathroom.
For all its beauty and refinement, the house manages to exude a relaxed and homely feel. The location also takes away any sense of pretension, with residents having the ability to make a choice of how involved they want to be in the community. The gates can be closed, and the outside world left behind. Or a private pedestrian gate at the back of the property links to a public path that takes you to the beach via Robswall, so it would also be very easy to catch up with neighbours if new owners wished.
Seamount House is on an elevated site that has fields and sports grounds to one side, the Jameson Orchard development behind, and in front a large garden that is part of the 4.4-acre plot, which then leads out to a 19-acre green belt from land that was donated by the owners to guarantee this part of Malahide would remain untouched. The views ahead go from Howth Head to the Sugar Loaf, and although Dublin Airport can be seen in the distance, the house is not on a flight path.
At the other side of the house there is an archway that leads to an old stable building with original brickwork that is sizeable enough for many uses.
For those who like the idea of following in the Jamesons’ footsteps, Seamount House is on the market with a guide price of €6 million through Sherry FitzGerald.
