THE FORT, 171 CLAY ROAD, BALLYGOSKIN, DERRYBOY, NEAR KILLINCHY, BT30 9LS PRICE: OFFERS AROUND 1,500,000
LOCATION: Coming out of Killinchy, continue past Balloo House and take the next right into Thornyhill Road. Turn left about a mile along, down into Hollypark Road. Continue through crossroads into Clay Road and property is ½ mile on left hand side. GROUND RENT: Freehold
THE FORT, 171 CLAY ROAD, BALLYGOSKIN, DERRYBOY, NEAR KILLINCHY, BT30 9LS The fort is a collection of buildings which has grown and adapted during more than a thousand years of history in the beautiful basket of eggs drumlin landscape of County Down. Located only half an hour from Belfast, this tranquil setting offers outstanding living, home-working and leisure accommodation for a family which wishes to get away from city bustle yet stay within easy reach. It will particularly suit a family interested in equestrian pursuits. The main house sits above an 18th century yard on an elevated site, with breathtaking, unspoilt views in every direction especially towards the west and the setting sun. It has been extensively and sensitively rebuilt by its present owners in the style of a Victorian cottage, with a bedroom wing added two years ago. The 1760 yard comprises twin gate houses connected by an entrance arch, a stone building originally containing three coach-houses, and a converted loft with stone loose boxes beneath. The guest accommodation in one of the gate houses, formerly a granary, has been lovingly restored by the present owners, retaining several original features; the other provides spacious office accommodation. The converted loft provides further guest or staff accommodation. At the heart of the property sits the fort itself, an early medieval cashel or stone-embanked rath, evidence of the central place of this historic setting within the farming community and rural landscape of East Down since time immemorial. Beautifully maintained Small Holding on circa 6 acres STUNNING MAIN COTTAGE with: 4 Bedrooms, Master with En Suite Bathroom & Dressing Room Superb, Large Living Kitchen Drawing Room with fireplace; Conservatory; Sitting Room/Dining Room Delightful Main Bathroom GATEHOUSE with Sitting Room, Kitchen, Bathroom and 2 Bedrooms "THE LOFT" with Sitting Room, Kitchen, Bathroom and 2 Bedrooms SECOND GATEHOUSE with Offices, Tack Room, Kitchen & Shower Room, Stores etc STONE OUTBUILDINGS: Ideal for Garages, Stores Gardens, yard and medieval rath Barn with 8 internal McCusker stables (demountable if not required) Electric horse-walker, 2 paddocks and sand manège Additional 20 acres (or part thereof) available by separate negotiation
THE PROPERTY COMPRISES: GROUND FLOOR STABLE FRONT DOOR. ENTRANCE HALL: Redwood floor, tongue & groove ceiling, built-in bookshelves. DRAWING ROOM: 19' 0" x 12' 5" (5.79m x 3.78m) Redwood flooring, tongue & groove ceiling, tiled fireplace with brass trim, pine surround, stone hearth, recessed shelving to either side. Door to.. CONSERVATORY: 21' 9" x 14' 8" (6.63m x 4.47m) Opening into the Boot Room and the Drawing Room, this spacious hardwood conservatory by North West Joinery (Hampton Conservatories) can be entered via double doors from a south-facing terrace off the garden and provides an elegant setting for welcoming guests and for relaxation. Ceramic tiled floor.
BOOT ROOM: 23 ' 6" x 12' 1" (7.16m x 3.68m) A large back entrance hall, accessed from the enclosed garden to the rear, invaluable for kicking off boots, hanging up coats, washing vegetables and arranging flowers! Inevitably used as the main entrance to the cottage, this also has a wood-burning stove to offer a warm welcome to guests and to dry wet winter coats and boots, and a large, Victorian garden sink. Tongue & groove ceiling, quarry tiled floor, built-in cupboard. Access to roofspace (partially floored). CLOAKROOM: Low flush wc, wash hand basin, quarry tiled floor, door to rear.
LARGE LIVING KITCHEN: 25' 7" x 24' 10" (7.8m x 7.57m) (at widest points) With an Aga stove; separate cooker with gas hob and electric ovens, island unit with circular stainless steel sink unit, solid wood work surfaces & low level units, York stone fireplace with wood-burning stove. Its high, vaulted ceiling gives a feeling of generous space to this large family kitchen, designed for comfortable sitting and informal dining. The kitchen is complemented by an adjoining pantry/scullery. PANTRY/SCULLERY: Excellent range of high & low level units, ceramic tiled floor, Belfast sink unit with mixer taps, solid wood work surfaces, integrated dishwasher, feature stained glass sash window. Cupboard housing hot water tank.
SITTING ROOM: 24 ' 8" x 10' 8" (7.52m x 3.25m) The kitchen opens into a winter sitting room or morning room, also with a wood-burning stove, which could also be used as a spacious study or as a separate, formal dining room. This room opens directly on to a terrace at the front of the house, west-facing to catch the last rays of the sun. Solid wood flooring, tongue & groove ceiling, access to roofspace.
MASTER SUITE: 15' 3" x 13' 5" (4.65m x 4.09m) Victorian open coal fire, French window to secluded "evening" terrace. BATHROOM: Fired Earth suite comprising ball and claw foot bath, large fully tiled shower enclosure with chrome "rain" shower head, feature vanitory unit, bidet, low flush wc, limestone floor, tongue & groove ceiling, chrome heated towel rail, cast iron fireplace. DRESSING ROOM: Excellent range of built-in storage by Elfa.
BEDROOM (2): 14' 5" x 11' 5" (4.39m x 3.48m) (at widest points) Delightful rural views. BEDROOM (3): 14' 0" x 11' 5" (4.27m x 3.48m) Delightful rural views. BEDROOM (4): 11' 5" x 11' 3" (3.48m x 3.43m) Delightful rural views. GUEST BATHROOM: White suite comprising feature ball & claw foot bath with mixer taps, corner shower with electric Triton shower unit, low flush wc, bidet, wash hand basin, feature vertical radiator, tongue & groove ceiling, half panelled walls, solid pine floor.
OUTSIDE - THE GATE HOUSES THE GUEST HOUSE Built in stone, this beautifully restored former granary is full of character and contains a large, open-plan sitting/ dining room with a tall, vaulted ceiling, opening into a kitchen with sink, refrigerator, electric oven and hob, and washing machine or dishwasher. Bathroom on ground floor with bath, electric shower, lavatory and wash hand basin. Cast-iron spiral staircase to a balcony overlooking sitting room, with two double bedrooms off it, and a hot-press. Oil fired central heating with separate boiler & oil tank. Wood burning stove in Sitting Room. LOWER LEVEL: SITTING/DINING ROOM: 22' 4" x 17' 6" (6.81m x 5.33m) Stone walls and vaulted beamed ceiling, wood burning stove, pine floor. KITCHEN: 10' 8" x 10' 0" (3.25m x 3.05m) Pine flooring, Old Belfast sink, built-in cupboards, washing machine, 4-ring Thor hob and under bench oven, pine work surfaces, pine tongue & groove ceiling. Cloakroom/ storeroom leading to: BATHROOM: White suite comprising panelled bath with electric shower, high flush wc, pedestal wash hand basin, part pine tongue & groove panelled walls and ceiling, extractor fan, pine floor. CAST IRON SPIRAL STAIRCASE TO... UPPER FLOOR: BEDROOM (1): 14' 3" x 8' 6" (4.34m x 2.59m) Pine floor, exposed stone walls, beamed ceiling. BEDROOM (2): 14' 3" x 8' 6" (4.34m x 2.59m) Pine floor, exposed stone walls, beamed ceiling. GALLERY LANDING OVERLOOKING LIVING AREA. Original grain winch. Hotpress with copper cylinder, immersion heater.
THE OFFICES The first floor of the second gate house, entered by gable steps, contains three spacious offices/consulting rooms. The ground floor, accessed by an internal staircase, contains a kitchen, lavatory, secure office storeroom, bedroom (or office) with adjoining shower room, hall and tack room. Door from hall opens to yard. Oilfired central heating. UPPER LEVEL: ROOM (1) 16' 4" x 15' 0" (4.98m x 4.57m) Exposed beams, pine floorboards. ROOM (2): 16' 4" x 10' 6" (4.98m x 3.2m) Exposed beams, pine floorboards. ROOM (3): 16' 4" x 12' 0" (4.98m x 3.66m) Exposed beams, pine floorboards, shelving. "THE LOFT" The Loft is entered through its own private, paved terrace and a lean-to conservatory. It comprises a sitting/ dining room with adjoining kitchen, two double bedrooms and a bathroom with bath and electric shower, wash hand basin and lavatory. This elegant apartment is heated by a wood-burning stove, supplemented if necessary by electric heating, and has been used as guest accommodation and also for live-in staff. ** Approved for tourism accommodation.
THE YARD The 18th century yard, in addition to The Gate House, The Loft and the Offices, contains a beautiful stone building with three arched rooms, one of which is currently a garage. The other two are each divided into two loose boxes/stores, and could easily be converted back to become garages or workshops. The enclosed yard is spacious, with a grass oval/turning circle, and opens on to an orchard. The ring fort itself is entered from the yard, a perfect half-acre circle with mature trees surrounding it and a large Victorian green house (in need of restoration) with grapevine and peach tree. On the embankment of the fort, overlooking the enclosed garden of the principal dwelling, sits the two-storey Victorian Spy House (it s a long story!), with sitting room/writing room/playroom above, and wash-house and kitchen store/utility room below.
ADDITIONAL EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES: Barn (75' x 45') with 8 internal McCusker stables (demountable if not required), wash bay and tack room. Electric horse-walker for four horses, 2 adjacent paddocks and sand manège. The purchaser would also have the opportunity to purchase an additional 20 acres, or part thereof, if required. AMENITIES: The Fort sits on approximately 6 acres, including the yard and gardens and the early medieval rath. Vegetable and soft fruit garden. The remaining land is set in grass and sand paddocks, supplied with water troughs and well fenced. Of particular interest to those who are interested in equestrianism will be a 40m X 20m sand manège/riding arena, separately fenced.
As featured in Ireland s Homes Interiors & Living magazine Summer 2009 563 LISBURN ROAD, BELFAST BT9 7GQ TELEPHONE: 028 9066 3030 FAX: 028 9066 3838 EMAIL: belfast@templetonrobinson.co.uk 326 UPPER NEWTOWNARDS ROAD, BELFAST, BT4 3EX TELEPHONE 028 9065 0000 EMAIL: ballyhackamore@templetonrobinson.co.uk 465 ORMEAU ROAD, BELFAST, BT7 3GR, TELEPHONE: 028 9049 3030 FAX: 028 9049 3131 EMAIL: ormeau@templetonrobinson.co.uk 54 HIGH STREET, HOLYWOOD BT18 9AJ TELEPHONE: 028 9042 4747 FAX: 028 9042 7979 EMAIL: holywood@templetonrobinson.co.uk 105 GROOMSPORT ROAD, BANGOR, BT20 5NS TELEPHONE: 028 9145 1166 FAX: 028 9147 7279 EMAIL: bangor@templetonrobinson.co.uk CONSULTANT: DENIS N. TEMPLETON DIRECTORS: BETH ROBINSON; KEITH MITCHELL; PATRICK PALMER; MICHAEL YOUNG; JOHN TODD (BANGOR); WILLIAM LIDDELL (ORMEAU ROAD); NEIL TEMPLETON (BALLYHACKAMORE); ASSOCIATES: JONATHAN STEEN; JUDITH JORDAN athese particulars do not constitute any part of an offer or contract. None of the statements contained in these particulars are to be relied on as statements or representations of fact and intending purchasers must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise to the correctness of each of the statements contained in these particulars. The Vendor does not make or give, neither Templeton Robinson, nor any person in its employment has any authority to make or give, any representation or warranty whatever in relation to this property. All dimensions are taken to nearest 3 inches.