When it was first developed in the early 1800s, Herbert Place, which lies between Lower Baggot Street and Mount Street Crescent, was laid out as increasing numbers of middle-class people wished to live outside the city centre. Its waterside setting, lying opposite the Grand Canal, offered a tranquil riparian location in contrast to the smog-ridden centre. Interestingly, the terrace is home to 25 houses but they commence at number 4, as numbers 1 to 3 were never constructed.
Today, the tree-lined single-sided terrace, described as “the least changed Georgian domestic quarters of the city,” by architectural historian Christine Casey, is in part of the city that is home to large employers and smaller professional practices.
Number 10 on the terrace of protected structures lies three storeys over basement and extends to 279sq m (3,000sq ft). Dating from 1815, it was last on the market in 2011 when the town house was laid out as a mixture of commercial and residential units. It also had lapsed planning for a mews property to the rear.
Today, it resembles little of what sold for €510,000, according to the Property Price Register, in 2012.
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Through the Georgian door with an impressive petal fanlight are three superb apartments. At basement and ground-floor levels lies a three-bedroom unit that benefits from access to the garden, while on the two upper floors lie two one-bedroom apartments.
In addition, to the rear and with the address 35 Herbert Lane is a new two-bedroom mews. This contemporary dwelling is accessed only from Herbert Lane and its design placed bedrooms at garden level to allow living accommodation to take full advantage of the light upstairs. This space also has a small courtyard and number 10 has a paved courtyard, so both properties have outdoor spaces. They also have the canal to the front, with its tree lined-banks, seating and walks so there’s plenty of green space on the doorstep.
It is testament to its current owner how sensitively the restoration and upgrades to the property have been executed as so many period details have been retained such as impressive coving, ceiling roses, period fireplaces and old pitch-pine flooring (new herringbone parquet is used in parts of the basement and mews). The old brochure is still online for comparison.
Kitchens in the main house have no upper units and are streamlined, which allow period details to shine through, as are the bedrooms that offer lovely views through the restored six-over-six pane sliding sash windows.
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There are a few options here for new owners: firstly, a buyer could live in the mews and rent out the three apartments in number 10 itself or, indeed, they could reinstate the main house to a fine family home – as it was when Countess de Lusi lived here a century ago. This would not be too difficult to undertake as the owners have sensitively used the original fabric of the building to accommodate the apartments.
Its location is always popular, just a short stroll to St Stephen’s Green and with Dublin 6 and 4 straddling the property, the area is abound with sports and recreational amenities, bars, restaurants, theatres, galleries and the National Concert Hall.
Number 10, which is Ber-exempt, and its 112sq m (1,200sq ft) contemporary mews are now on the market through Knight Frank, seeking €2.7m.
