Sidney Herbert was managing the family estate for his elder half-brother, Robert, the 12th earl of Pembroke, who was living in exile in Paris, when he granted a lease on a plot of land on Wellington Road to Brett Smith for 150 years. The lease came with instructions to build a “good and substantial dwelling of the best materials, well roofed and covered with slates”.
Smith ably completed the terms of the lease, building two houses: numbers 3 and 5. Number 3 is an elegant early Victorian full of period features and details that were protected and valued by the house’s six different owners over 165 years. It was bought in 1974 by Margaret and Robert Myerscough, who undertook a substantial restoration of the Ber-exempt house and placed it back on the market in 1977, when it was bought at auction by the current owners.
Now the two-storey-over-basement property, which extends to 274sq m (2,949sq ft) at the Pembroke Road end of Wellington Road and around the corner from Baggot Street, is being brought to market by Owen Reilly estate agents, seeking €2.35 million. The first feature to impress is the long front driveway and garden, set back from the quiet road behind wrought-iron railings and gates, offering privacy and off-street parking.
The four-bedroom townhouse has a beautiful entrance hall with interconnecting reception rooms to the right. Both the drawingroom and sittingroom have exquisite original Adam fireplaces, one with a carved frieze depicting ancient Roman-type scenes. Original six-over-six sash windows create a dual aspect when the dividing doors are opened, and all shutters, cornicing and ceiling roses are original. Even though the house is just off Baggot Street, the reception rooms are tranquil and quiet. The sittingroom overlooks the southwest-facing garden and has lovely views.
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A short flight of steps descends to the kitchen, with cream timber units, black granite countertops and a large, triple-oven range cooker. Just outside the kitchen is a raised patio, a perfect place to catch the evening sun, and steps lead down into the garden, which is beautifully planted.
A series of arches in the hall are echoed by a dome light hovering over the first return, which has a bathroom that will need updating and another shower room. On the first floor are two bedrooms with high ceilings. The main bedroom is lovely with double sash windows pouring light into the grand room which has a fireplace. Next door is another bedroom with tall built-in wardrobes. Although new owners will probably take them out, they possess a charm that is entirely their own.
A simple alteration to the stairs leading to the basement from the hall would reintegrate this level with the rest of the house. The ceiling heights here are considerably lower, reflecting their origin as the quarters of household staff. There is a galley kitchen, two sittingrooms, a bedroom and a bathroom, with a door at the back opening into the garden.
In the heart of Dublin 4 and within walking distance of the city centre, the RDS, the Aviva Stadium and Herbert Park, 3 Wellington Road is sure to attract plenty of interest from well-heeled buyers who will either appreciate its welcoming grandeur or start the house on its next, extensive restoration project.
