An interesting country house and a 103-acre stud farm beside Hunter's Hotel near Ashford, Co Wicklow, is expected to make in excess of £1.8 million when it is auctioned on October 5th.
Joint agents Ganly Walters and Strutt & Parker are handling the sale of Glenvartry House and Stud for the Swedish-born owner, Bo Helander, who is secretary general of the International Equestrian Federation. He has bred mainly showjumping and dressage horses at the stud over the past ten years and has now decided to sell the estate because of commitments abroad.
Glenvartry is, as you would imagine from the name, in the glen of the Vartry river, which forms part of the boundary of the stud. This is typical Wicklow country and the house is perched on a long ridge, facing almost south-west.
Glenvartry was being run as a farm when Mr Helander bought it a decade ago. He has since railed and fenced the land and converted the yard into 32 loose boxes. He has also built a huge indoor arena, a facility that will have great appeal to families interested in keeping sporting horses.
The grounds include a steward's bungalow, a three-bedroom house in the courtyard and a staff apartment. The main house is a pleasant Regency style, of a type you will find in many parts of Wicklow, with a porch added to the front.
Everything on the outside, including the annex, is painted a brightish pink, which gives it an old world charm. Inside, the house has plenty of accommodation with four reception rooms - drawingroom, diningroom, study and family room. The decoration generally is a little tired at this stage and new owners will obviously want to put their own stamp on the house with a total revamp.
Some of the reception rooms have attractive plasterwork and good marble fireplaces. The brightest room in - or paradoxically, outside - the house is a long conservatory which runs the length of the south-west wall, facing over the Vartry valley. The land slopes gently to the valley, and the river, now hidden by trees and shrubs, was originally part of the view. New owners will want to capitalise on the natural attractions of water, trees and landscape.
Upstairs on two levels are five bedrooms, two of them with en suite bathrooms. The family bathroom is located on the return. The main bedroom suite is particularly spacious and has lovely views over the valley.
Glenvartry is approached by a long, winding driveway through well-fenced paddocks. While it is located in a lovely rural setting, it is a fast 27-mile run from the city.
