This detached Georgian house is just minutes from the main street in Bray yet tucked at the end of Sidmonton Road, it feels totally secluded and the only sounds audible are those of the birds nesting in the silver birch trees in the rear garden.

The Kavanagh family have lived here for 29 years and as their three children have grown up they are downsizing to a smaller property and have placed their 263sq m (2,825sq ft) home on the market through estate agent H J Byrne with an asking price of €1,050,000.

When the Ken and Colette Kavanagh purchased Cliftonville, "it was in bits", according to Ken. "There was no kitchen, just a lean-to with a sink in the back hallway and all the fireplaces had been painted."

Marble fireplace
The Kavanaghs set about transforming their home to its former glory and through care and attention, all the period features remain. The property has the original coving and some very impressive filigree ceiling roses. The family have barely used curtains in Cliftonville, preferring to use the shutters which grace the original eight- over-eight timber sash windows.

The property boasts four reception rooms, one of which is located on the first floor and houses a magnificent white marble fireplace with horseshoe inset. The room is bathed in light, thanks to the near full-height dual aspect windows and is used for parties and at Christmas.

Downstairs a family room and diningroom flank each side of a wide hallway with original wide-plank pine flooring, which runs throughout the property. A smaller room used as the family’s music room, as all are keen musicians, lies adjacent.

There is a touch of “upstairs downstairs” to the house, as the old sculleries and servants’ quarters to the rear are more modest rooms in contrast to the bold proportioned rooms to the front. A long utility, good-sized country kitchen and boot room all echo a time when properties such as Cliftonville had live-in staff.

Upstairs are three decent-sized bedrooms and a smaller bedroom. The family WC and elegantly-proportioned bathroom sit either side of the first return.

The rear of the house has a flagstone courtyard with black bamboo, box hedging and three sheds. Through a set of narrow gates lies the garden laid out in Victorian style.