The Cuskinny Estate comprises a character coastal property set in a wonderful maritime setting on Cuskinny Bay, a small horseshoe bay off Cork Harbour. Surrounded by delightful gardens and pleasure grounds Cuskinny House enjoys a commanding position overlooking Cork Harbour, with exceptional uninterrupted views south to the harbour entrance at Roche’s Point.
Cuskinny House incorporates a medieval castle keep which once stood guard on this strategic site over the approaches to the inner harbour and to Cork itself. The original house, the seat of the French family, is believed to date from the 18th Century and was subsequently enlarged and given a new front circa 1837 by Cork architect Henry Hill. This included a three-bay front with two- storey canted bay windows, a gabled entrance porch together with bipartite sash windows and bracketed eaves. Descendants of the family have continued as custodians of the property to this day.
The house benefits from a bright sunny position and is laid out over two floors plus attic. The generous and well-proportioned accommodation is lit by bay and large bipartite sash windows to the principle rooms. Extending to circa 996 sq m (10,720 sq ft), the accommodation includes reception hall, four reception rooms, six bedrooms and three bathrooms. There is further former staff quarters together with two self-contained apartments to the Eastern Wing.
The house has a wonderful approach with a sweeping tree-lined gravel drive running along the waters’ edge to a large gravel forecourt with lawns, framed by mature trees, running over one hundred metres to the foreshore. The gardens and pleasure grounds are an exquisite and particular feature of the property and extend to circa 9 ha (22.40 acres). They include beech wood, rhododendron walk, walled garden and beaches along Cuskinny Bay with swimming possible year round, for the hardy.
The entire property extends to c. 57.5 hectares (142 acres) and includes three lodges, with one guarding the main entrance and two flanking the farm drive. Outside the demesne, the agricultural lands are in two blocks of 10.11 ha (25 acres) and 32.37 ha (80 acres) respectively. Within the demesne wall there are c. 5.25 ha (13 acres) in pasture and farmyard.
LOT 1 – CUSKINNY HOUSE
Asking Price: €2,000,000
ACCOMMODATION
The house is approached via a gravel forecourt, with stone flagging adjacent the house. The main reception rooms are light, well-proportioned and well laid out – most have fireplaces. An entrance vestibule opens to an entrance hall with a polished pine floor and doors to staircase hall. There is a library with a bay window overlooking the gardens and harbour. The drawing room has views to the south and west overlooking the gardens and harbour with conservatory off. The dining room has three full sash windows overlooking the gardens and grass tennis court. A music room looks over the sunken garden. The kitchen/breakfast room has a range of fitted units, together with an Aga and two stainless steel sink units. Adjacent to this are the domestic offices, comprising a butler’s pantry, utility room and a rear hall that opens onto the house yard.
The first floor, served by two staircases, has a main landing with six bedrooms and three bathrooms, all are light and with lovely views of the gardens. The second floor comprises mainly attic with four rooms, offering the potential to either extend the bedroom accommodation or to be used as storage.
GARDEN AND STABLE APARTMENTS
Incorporated to the rear of the main house, is the Garden Apartment with a hall, kitchen and utility room and on the first floor a sitting room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Adjacent is Stable Apartment with, on the ground floor, a hall, utility room and bedroom and on the first floor a sitting/dining room, bedroom and bathroom.
OUTSIDE
Directly to the rear of the house is the gated house yard with traditional whitewashed stone under slate, former coach house and stables with loft over, accessed by external steps. Adjacent to the rear door is the Boot Room/Boiler House with Firebird oil fired boiler. The coach house now serves as garaging (5.70 m x 4.40 m) with the stables serving as workshop, wood store and kennel with run. There is also a coal store and car port.
GARDENS & GROUNDS
The gardens are rightly acknowledged as one of the most beautiful in East Cork. They are a special and particular feature of the property, surrounding the house and providing much privacy and seclusion. They are framed by many specimen and unusual trees planted over 100 years ago and include a huge variety of plants and shrubs including a spectacular rhododendron walk with stone steps rising to the west. A beech wood runs west along the foreshore providing excellent protection for the house and gardens with walks and red squirrel population. Lawns wrap around three sides of the house with a grass tennis court to the east and sunken garden to the west. The gardens, grounds and beech wood extend to some 9 hectares (22 acres).
Directly to the north of the house is the delightful walled garden, which has high 3 metre stone walls, in good condition with unusual, curved corners enclosing an area of approx. 0.50 hectares (1.25 acres). Mainly laid to lawn, there are paths around the perimeter and radiating from a centre circle with many fruit trees including apple, cherry and fig together with glass house, potting shed, soft fruit cages, cold frames and hen house and run. The property is bounded by the sea to two sides with some 800 metres of shore frontage. To the front of the house the lawns sweep down to the waters’ edge with steps down for foreshore access. To the eastern side there are shingle and sandy beaches for swimming, together with a stone boat shed and channel leading to a stone dry dock.
GATE LODGE
A single storey gate lodge is located just inside the entrance gates, with a kitchen, sitting room, utility room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
FARMHOUSE
This is a lovely two storey house which was recently renovated and located adjacent to the Farm drive. It comprises on the ground floor of a porch, sitting room, kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom and on the first floor, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
KING’S COTTAGE
This a two-storey cottage also flanking the farm drive and comprises: porch, sitting room, dining room, kitchen to the ground floor with two bedrooms and bathroom to the first floor. This is subject to a life tenancy.
THE FARMYARD
The farmyard is located adjacent to the walled garden and is served from the internal roadway and also by its own separate access to the public road. It comprises of the original whitewashed stone under slate traditional outbuildings, in need of repair, together with a modern steel portal storage barn (12.50 m x 8.00 m) .
THE LANDS
The farm lands are comprised of first class tillage and pasture. To the south of the public road and within the demesne wall are circa 5.30 ha (13 acres) of pasture in Lot 1.
LOT 2
Asking Price: €500,000
Directly across the public road to the north, Lot 2 comprises of circa 10.11 ha (25 acres) of pasture in 3 divisions together with a derelict cottage ruin with development potential.
LOT 3
Asking Price: €1,500,000
Lot 3 is located at a distance to the north east and comprises circa 32.38 ha (80 acres) of top class tillage in 7 main divisions. Here there is a farmyard with modern cattle shed and equipment storage together with derelict farmhouse with development potential.
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