"We've got privacy and seclusion. The house is secure and really quiet. We've got birdsong." Marie and Alan, vendors of Belfield House, love their home. Belfield is good-looking, comfortable, and an ideal family home. It has history, intact original design and features, style additions crossing two centuries, the distinction of being what is probably the oldest house in Churchtown, and is a protected structure.

The privacy comes from its position behind high walls, the birdsong from trees and high hedging to the side and back. All this in the middle of busy, suburban Churchtown. Originally built as a farmhouse, between 1750 and 1800, it pre-dates property records, and first appeared on a map as the central house on Belfield, a 15-acre plot of land that was part of a portfolio of properties stretching from Moore Street to Rathfarnham.

0 of 8

Belfield’s first formally registered owner, in 1869, was one Thomas Rossiter. Alan and Marie are the eighth owners registered since then.

Behind a seven-window, two-story façade, Belfield House has three bedrooms, two reception rooms, kitchen/breakfastroom, two bathrooms and a 148sq m (1593sq ft) floor space. The owners bought in 1996 for IR£95,000. Twenty-one years, a lot of living and work later, agent Lisney is asking €795,000.

Fireplaces in all rooms

Today’s Belfield retains its original L shape. It has fireplaces in all rooms (five of which work) granite walls, timber floors, covings and original shutters with handmade hinges and nails. The vendors added a farmhouse-style handmade kitchen in 1996. This has wooden fittings, tiled floor and walls and doors to the rear garden/patio. A long, wood-panelled entrance hallway is much as intended, save for a 1960s bathroom added at its end.

Front-facing living and drawingrooms are full of period style with deep silled windows, polished floorboards, fireplaces and shutters. The original staircase leads to the bedrooms, all with cast-iron fireplaces. Two front-facing bedrooms have a couple of windows each, and a third rear bedroom has sacrificed space to the cause of a shower room but is still good-sized. There is attic space to the front of the house.

A low maintenance rear garden/ patio has an elegant silver birch, gravelled and decking spaces and a side entrance. The front garden is lawned and walled. A side lane gives private access to rear parking.