Retreat to Rathgar
Bucolic beginnings mean plenty of room outside this period house close to the site of a lost castle, writes
27 Highfield Road Rathgar Dubin6
YOU’D really have to feel sorry for Robert Cusack and his teenage son Adam, who lived at Rathgar Castle in Dublin in the 17th Century.
Theirs was the only house in then rural Rathgar and they had, for the most part, passed a quiet bucolic existence — until one summer’s day in 1649 they woke up to find
11,000 Irish Confederate and English Royalist troops camped outside their door.
Charles I of England had just had his head lopped off by Cromwell and now the Roundheads were turning their attention to Ireland where they currently had just two small footholds, one in Derry and one in Dublin Castle.
The Duke of Ormonde, who led these troops of the Irish Confederation of Kilkenny, marched to Dublin to take the capital and prevent Cromwell from landing. Ormonde set up camp on what is now Palmerston Park as he planned his attack on Dublin.
But Michael Jones, the Roundhead leader in Dublin Castle unexpectedly sallied out from the capital with his smaller force of
5,000 and attacked Ormonde’s unready camp. The Confederates were taken by surprise and began falling back piecemeal along what is now Highfield Road. As they retreated back in front of Rathgar Castle in a disorderly manner, their lines were being massacred as they went. Finally they fled entirely (Ormonde lost up to half of his forces). The defeat allowed Cromwell to land in Ringsend with 15,000 Civil War hardened veterans. The rest is unhappy history.
The site of Rathgar Castle is today a mystery although old maps indicate that it stood on the corner of Highfield and Orwell Roads, most likely at 44 to 49 Highfield Road.
Rathgar remained rural until development started in earnest in the mid and late 19th century when the area became part of the independent municipality of Rathmines. Among the houses built in this period near the site of the old castle was 27 Highfield Road, constructed in red brick over three main floors in the 1870s.
An indication of the formerly rural aspect of the area is the huge plots of land that the locale’s earlier homes were allocated. And No
27 has a very large plot both to the front and to the rear which totals half an acre.
Owned by the same family for the last 55 years, this house measures just over 4,000 sq ft and it has most of its original Victorian features including chimney pieces in marble, the crafted joinery and ornate ceiling roses. Perhaps one of its nicest features is the ornate exterior brickwork showing off the heightened level of craftsmanship of the day.
It is accessed via gates to the driveway from the main road and the front garden is dominated by a big old Red Sequoia tree and a Lebanese Cedar. Wide granite steps lead up to an arched doorway, with decorative pillars on either side. The inner door opens into the main hall off which are the two main interconnecting reception rooms.
Both the drawing room and the dining room have their original white marble fireplaces, ceiling coving and centre roses. These rooms can be opened into one for entertaining or else can separated by folding doors. The drawing room looks on to the front garden with its bay window. The dining room looks over the south facing garden to the rear. Off the dining room, is what the present owners use as an art room. A library room completes this level, with two large windows and a fireplace.
The lower level ground floor which was originally designed to house the activities of cooks and servants, has its own separate entrance to the front and side, making it ideal for guest accommodation. This level has a family room complete with log burner as the main focal point. It leads into a fitted kitchen and there’s a sun room to the rear of the house.
There are also two rooms on this level which the present owners use as bedrooms — so there are six bedrooms in all. A shower room and utility room complete the tally at lower level ground level. There is also access to a garage and for the wine connoisseur there are builtin wine cabinets along a side passage leading to the garden.
A wide staircase leads to the upper floor which comprises four double sized bedrooms. This level also enjoys high ceilings while the landing has a sky light. The master bedroom has a marble chimney piece and a bay window. A shower room completes this level with a main bathroom at the first-floor return.
Unlike other residences, the present owners have held on to their land at the rear.
Rathgar village, just a few minute’s walk up the road, has a number of restaurants, delicatessens, a pub and a supermarket. Nearby primary schools include Rathgar Junior School, Rathgar National School, Zion Parish School and Kildare Place School.
Secondary schools within walking distance include Alexandra College, St Mary’s College, The High School, Stratford College and Terenure College. Milltown Golf club is down the road and Rathgar Tennis Club is within reach.
Up the road Bushy Park gives access to the Dodder Linear Park comprising of over 100 hectares. Rathmines and Terenure are a short stroll from here while the fashionable Ranelagh, full of cafes, restaurants and bars is about a half hour’s troll away. The Luas Green Line can be accessed off Palmerston Road. Agent Kelly Bradshaw Dalton seek offers in the order of €2.9m.
Perhaps one of its nicest feaures is the ornate exterior brickwork