Standing tall for the best part of 200 years, Longford Terrace has been described as the “most notable” terrace in a paper by Dún Laoghaire County Council on Monkstown’s Architectural Conservation Area. The imposing line of painted stucco houses spread over two terraces began construction in 1840 and was completed by about 1842.
Houses here were constructed – as were much of the larger piles at the time – for well-heeled individuals and families on account of a new transport system that served the area. Known as an atmospheric railway, its name referred to the differential air pressure to provide propulsion, but today that journey by Dart can also be described as atmospheric for the wonderful panoramic views of Dublin Bay, now a Unesco biosphere reserve.
Almost two centuries later, the selling points of this handsome, almost stately terrace remain the same; lofty proportions set three storeys over basement, with superb sea views and close access to the water for bathing.
The very first house – number one – which also goes by the moniker Rembrandt House, lies at the corner of Clifton Avenue in the affluent Dublin suburb.
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Over the years it has had many incarnations, since its construction as an elegant family home. But by the 1950s, the 410sq m (4,413sq ft) building was in 13 flats, and by the 1970s, 20 adults and 19 children were living there in cramped conditions in one- or two-roomed flats.
The late Mary Cummins, in a feature for The Irish Times, described Rembrandt House during one of her visits at the time as “shabby and uncared for” with “plaster peeling off the walls”, and wrote of how a tenant’s electric clock was stopped at 8.55, which coincided with the electricity being cut off for a month due to “a battle of bureaucracy”, and of how families, all with young children, “are slowly becoming more desperate by candlelight”.
It subsequently operated as Rembrandt Hotel and was sold by Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, who are also handling this sale. Its current owner purchased the property 20 years ago, when it had a commercial unit at basement level, and initially carried out some cosmetic improvements.
Then in 2014 the entire house was renovated to what it is today: a beautiful period home in turnkey condition with a spacious office at basement level. This commercial space was extended in 2014 and now measures 125sq m (1,345sq ft). Permission has already been granted to return the basement to residential purposes. This is a simple enough option should new owners wish, as the internal staircase has downstairs access. Should they choose to retain the current layout, it should be noted that there is independent access to the offices from both the front and back gardens.
During renovation works in 2014, lean-tos in the back garden were demolished and the wall between the kitchen and livingroom on the ground floor was opened up. They now flow into one another, but can be closed off by a set of imposing doors, sourced from a period house in Northern Ireland, where a fireplace in the livingroom also came from. What is notable about these two rooms is the sumptuous reclaimed parquet floor sourced in Paris. Known as Parquet de Versailles, a large traditional pattern used in grand rooms in French period properties, it creates a stunning yet subtle effect against the tall ceilings and restored cornicing. Proportions of these rooms are evident in the fact that a full-size grand piano does not in the least dwarf the space.
On the first floor lies an elegant drawingroom or “piano nobile” as it would have been called, where families who first lived here would have entertained against the panoramic backdrop of Dublin Bay.
Also at this level is a fine bedroom, with two more bedroom suites on the top floor, where views to the front take in an even greater expanse. Bathrooms, of which there are three – with a further two at basement level – have all been given high-end makeovers.
Outside to the front is parking for two cars framed by mature hedging, and while the south-facing back garden is not particularly large, it is a trade-off for the views and proximity to amenities such as the plethora of eateries, sailing clubs and dips at Seapoint beach on the doorstep.
A further plus is the fact it lies at the end of the terrace, which means it has windows on the elevation facing Clifton Avenue, allowing some rooms to have a dual aspect.
Its owner, who lived at the Ber-exempt property for 12 years, is now London-based. This most impressive pile, which has been staged for sale, is now on the market, seeking €2.6 million.
