Cork’s architectural heritage

BROWSING the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage can land you in an unexpected vocabulary lesson.

Take the entry for 6 Bellevue Terrace — a 19th-century baywindowed house overlooking the harbour at Strand Road in Monkstown, Co Cork.

It’s in a terrace of eight designed by architect Henry Hill (greatgrandfather of Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe fame) and built in 1830, just as Monkstown was becoming a fashionable seaside resort, as the NIAH observes.

Then it goes into the particulars. Take the “render architraves, cornice and corbelled sill course to first floor of canted bay”, for instance. Or if that’s not baffling enough, what about the front doorcase, with its “carved timber colonettes surmounted by pointed archivolts with spandrels”?

Anyway, even in wilful ignorance of archivolts and spandrels, you’ll be bound to agree this is a very handsome house, and it has been well cared for by the owners, who’ve had it since 1981. It’s 3,447 sq ft on two main floors along with a dormer level and basement. The space includes seven bedrooms. The basement has a sitting room with its original fireplace, but the other reception rooms are on the ground floor.

At the front is a living room with watery views through a bay window incorporating French doors. Recessed sliding doors lead from there to a dining room overlooking the back garden. Both of these rooms have fireplaces, while the kitchen is fitted with pine cabinets and a breakfast bar.

The gardens are arguably the best featurey. The lawned front garden, facing south-east, has views of the lower harbour, while out the back is a magnificent courtyard surrounded by high walls of old stone. Number

6 is for sale for €550k with James G Coughlan (021) 425 1500. The title is leasehold but with 320 years left.

Clockwise from above: The staircase was designed by owner, Maeve Riordan; drawing room; kitchen with dining area; the view from the dining area; the four stables