Humewood Castle, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

INTRODUCTION: Humewood Castle is considered to be the finest Victorian country house in Ireland. It stands on approximately 440 acres in Co. Wicklow, in an area of great scenic beauty, approximately 45 miles south of Dublin. The surrounding landscaped walled estate contains magnificent gardens and many fine specimen trees. The castle was purchased by its present owner in 1992, and the principal house has been extensively renovated to a very high standard to provide 13 individually-designed bedroom suites, and magnificent dining, reception and recreational facilities. The estate now has first-class facilities for shooting (sporting clays) and equestrian activities, including show-jumping, eventing and polo.

HISTORY: In 1867, William White, the English ecclesiastical architect, was commissioned by William Wentworth Fitzwilliam Hume Dick to build Humewood, in a style befitting a Member of Parliament and one who had recently inherited a large fortune. White ultimately overran the budget of £15,000 given to him by Hume Dick by an additional £10,000, and subsequently ruined his career by refusing to pay the builder and then losing the resulting law case. Professor Mark Girouard, in his book “The Victorian Country House”, describes how White designed the skyline of the house with its stepped gables, buttresses and chimneystacks to culminate in the corner turret of the great central tower. Mark Bence-Jones, in his book “A Guide to Irish Country Houses” elaborates further on the architecture when he comments that this tower, together with the gables, spires and a tall round tower which is heavily battlemented, and the tower added later by another architect, gives the house a dramatic silhouette in keeping with the mountain scenery.

ACCOMMODATION: The vaulted Carriage Porch leads into the gothic Entrance Hall, with its low ribbed stone vaulting and heraldic stained glass windows. The fine staircase in the Inner Hall leads up to the main reception rooms on the first floor, from where there are magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and Wicklow mountains. The principal rooms include the Drawing Room, where the ceiling painted by the Italian artist, Grispini, has been restored, and where an outside stone staircase leads down to the formal gardens; the Library, which retains its original fitted oak bookcases; the Dining Room, which can seat up to 18 people; Morning Room; wood-panelled Ballroom which can seat 80 for dining for 120 for buffets; Breakfast Room; Kitchen; Smoking Room and Bar. There are 13 double bedrooms and 2 single bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms, and a further single bedroom. Each is individually decorated in a distinctive style, ranging from the Napoleonic Room to the Vivaldi Room, and the Chinese Imperial Room to the Tower Room. The Lower Ground Floor includes the Gun Room, Billiard Room, Dining Hall used for shooting parties and informal entertaining, Kitchen, 2 Offices, Wine Cellar, Bar, large Cloakroom and storerooms. The staff accommodation currently comprises 3 bedrooms with bathrooms or shower rooms, and 2 sitting rooms. There are 4 lodges offered with the estate. In addition, there is stabling for 18 horses, and associated tack and feedrooms, a barn and outdoor arena.

SPORTING FACILITIES: There are 4 lakes, which in the past provided excellent driven duck shooting. Sika and Red deer shooting are available on the estate, which also used to provide pheasant shooting. The clay pigeon course with 20 traps is considered to be the best in Ireland. Equestrian facilities include a polo ground, event course and hunting with the Kildare Foxhounds and other local packs. Punchestown Racecourse and The Curragh, the headquarters of racing in Ireland, are only 30 minutes’s drive. Pike fishing is available on the estate, and trout and salmon fishing can be arranged on nearby rivers. There are 5 championship golf courses in the vicinity.

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL: The remainder of the Castle and the Stableyard require restoration or development. There is the potential to create a further 20 to 25 bedroom suites, a conference centre or other recreational facilities. The great Round Tower, with access to a private garden, could be restored to provide magnificent self-contained accommodation. THE FARMYARD DEVELOPMENT: The Farmyard, which is situated at the end of a beech-tree avenue a quarter of a mile from the castle, is the subject of a planning application to create 22 houses of 1,700 square feet and 4 houses of 1,250 square feet. The Farmyard development, which consists of two interconnecting square courtyards, could be sold separately with approximately 120 acres. The original avenue to the Castle could be reinstated, and the Castle and approximately 320 acres would remain a separate entity.

Humewood could become a first-class hotel and leisure complex, situated in a superb setting only one hour’s drive from Dublin; alternatively it could revert to being a magnificent private home in one of Ireland’s greatest houses.

Guide price:  16,000,000 Euros For further information and to request a brochure, please phone or email William Montgomery's office as follows: +44 (0)28 4278 8666 / 8668 william.montgomery@sothebys.com