Nicely matured in its leafy Terenure cul-de-sac, number 16 Rathdown Park has a few surprises tucked behind its unassuming exterior. The meandering, luxuriant charms of a 100ft-long rear garden is one. Another is a conical-shaped, clematis-covered second World War bomb shelter that has become a feature of the garden.
It also has more obvious kudos going for it. Built by the architect Stringer around 1938, the original layout is virtually unchanged and the entrance hallway is spacious in typical Stringer fashion. Original doors, fireplaces, cornicing, picture rails and tiling add lustre to the large number of rooms that are also typical of the builder.
This is an executor sale, after nearly 45 years in the same family. The house has five bedrooms and three reception rooms in a floor area of 213sq m (2,300sq ft). Agent DNG is asking €1.35 million. Recent and “boom time” prices attest to the popularity of the Rathdown area: a house across from number 16 sold recently for €1.35 million; a similar semi-detached sold for €2.75 million in 2007 and a detached for €3.6 million around the same time.
0 of 5
The main reception rooms cover an almost 40ft-long sweep from a front-facing bay window to a rear patio door. An original mahogany fireplace in the sittingroom is finely detailed and both rooms have ceiling cornicing and picture rails. Features in a third reception room, including a wood-panelled wall and leaded glass in a front-facing window, are mirrored in an overhead bedroom.
The main, first-floor bedroom also mirrors the bay window, ceiling cornicing and picture rail of the sittingroom beneath.
A plate-rail runs around the wall of the entrance hallway which has a cloakroom and leaded glass each side of the front door. A new owner will likely extend the kitchen/breakfastroom, perhaps making a feature of the original white-tiled chimney breast.
There is a shower-room off the hallway, a family bathroom on the first floor and large, unconverted attic.
