A detached Victorian house in Greystones, Co Wicklow is close to the centre of the town but feels nearly as secluded as a country pile. The five-bed on half an acre sits well back from the road, down a gravelled driveway surrounded by tall trees. It's reportedly the first house built – in 1886 – on Church Lane, a steep road that leads up past the Church of Ireland on the corner with Greystones' main Church Road.
Fintan and Denise Hudson, the couple who bought Fairholme at auction in 1997 for £312,000 (about €375,000) have refurbished the two-storey over-garden level house extensively in the 17 years they have lived there.
Denise, a former interior decorator, has chosen soft colours, rich drapes, period-style fittings and placed mirrors everywhere, maximising the feeling of space and light. Features that make it stand out from other tastefully decorated period homes include a luxurious main bathroom with a free-standing Victorian bath (and a shower) and plenty of practical storage space in walk-in closets, as well as in a spacious laundry room.
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Now Fairholme, a 316sq m (3,400sq ft) house that comes with a detached studio in the garden, is for sale by private treaty through Sherry FitzGerald for €1.55 million.
Wide steps lead up to the front of the house, opening into a neat hall well-lit by stained glass windows in the front door and on the first return. The diningroom on the right and drawingroom on the left both have deep bay windows with window seats, large marble fireplaces and deep cornicing.
A wood-panelled study at the back of the hall opens, through French doors, on to a small balcony with spiral stairs leading down to one of the garden’s three patio areas. There’s a double bedroom at the back and a shower room.
The family bathroom is on the first return and three more bedrooms (two en suite) are on the top floor. The main bedroom, like the livingroom below, is dual aspect: a window at the side of the room has views of Bray head and the sea.
Down at garden level is the large kitchen/breakfastroom with polished granite countertops, island unit and a glossy cream Aga. A fifth bedroom at this level has a large walk-in dressingroom.
Outside, there are sheltered patios hidden among mature trees and hedges, standard lamps to light them, and separate lawned areas around the side and at the front of the house. Tall trees shelter both house and garden.
