The Old Lock House is a lovingly restored and upgraded detached residence located on the Barrow Blueway, a route connecting Lowtown to Athy along the Grand Canal in Co Kildare. Before the detached three-bedroom home was purchased by the current owners in 2020, it had been owned by the family of the last lock keeper, who had married into the family who had managed the lock for decades.
The owners, who have renovated homes from scratch before, were attracted to the individuality of the property, as well as its waterside location. They stripped the home back to its walls, added insulation and underfloor heating on the ground floor, and exposed some beautiful stonework to create the cosy, rustic home it is today.
They also added two accommodation pods – each with a kitchen and bathroom, while one has one bedroom and the other has two – in a property cleverly designed to resemble a barge to the rear of the garden, overlooking the canal.
Now relocating for work, the owners have placed the Old Lock House – extending to 165q m (1,776 sq ft) on the market with DNG McCormack, seeking €480,000.
A fully renovated Georgian home in the centre of Dún Laoghaire with a a 54ft-long garden
New four-bed homes in high-end scheme on Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, for €2.5m
Five homes on view this week in Dublin, Kildare and Cork from €330,000
Have you bought a new-build home in the past five years? Share your story
The property, dating from the 1790s, is a two-minute drive from Rathangan town and less than 15 minutes from Kildare town and its train station, which offers a regular service to Heuston station, Dublin, a journey that takes 30-45 minutes. For shopping, Kildare Village is within easy reach. Newbridge, which has the Riverbank Arts Centre and a cinema for entertainment, is a 20-minute drive away.
To the front, the Old Lock house has a welcoming lawned garden beyond a baby-blue picket fence, with a cobblestone path leading to the front door; there is also side access for cars to park behind the house. You enter the home into a bright dual-aspect porch, with a built-in wooden storage bench and warm brown and grey sun-patterned tiles underfoot.
A substantial wooden door leads into the cosy sittingroom, with wooden ceiling beams and an exposed cut-stone wall with an inset bookshelf.
To the rear of the house, the bright kitchen and dining area sits to the left, with a wood-panelled ceiling painted white. The kitchen is laid out around a large central island with a brick surround that houses the oven and hob. The kitchen units are white with wooden countertops and a grey metro-tile splashback that reaches the ceiling.
To the right off the hallway is a well-appointed study, off which is a spacious bathroom with a free-standing bath.
The stairs to the first floor are accessed from the study. The main bedroom sits to the top of the stairs and has a double aspect, with built-in shutters on the windows. There are two more bedrooms plus the second bathroom, which has a walk-in shower and features grey and white decorative floor tiles and grey tiling in the shower.
To the rear of the property is an area laid in loose stone for parking, as well as a covered bike store and a workshop that houses an air-to-water heat pump and has electricity. It also features lawned areas and a wooden pergola for sitting outside.
To the rear of the garden are the “barge” accommodation pods, which feature modern kitchen and bathroom fitouts with sleek wood-effect flooring. The pods are being sold with furnishings.
