Seafield, Donabate, Dublin
Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
p. 255. “(Hely-Hutchinson, sub Donoughmore, E/PB) A Palladian villa of Sir Edward Lovett Pearce’s school, probably a remodelling of an earlier house, carried out soon post 1737 for Benedict Arthur. Of three storeys over a basement, the top storey being an attic of narrow windows with three small hip-roofs above them on the entrance front and three gables of late C17 style above them on the garden front. Entrance and garden fronts of seven bays, the entrance front having a two storey pedimented Doric portico in antis, with a broad flight of steps leading up to it. Balustraded roof parapet on entrance front’ ground floor windows with rusticated surrounds. The chief – an unusual – feature of the interior is the impressive two storey hall, which runs through the full depth of the house, with windows at each end; crossed by a gallery to provide communication between first floor rooms on either side. The walls are decorated with superimposed fluted Ionic and Corinthian pilasters; with, between them, grisaille paintings of Classical figures which were probably added later C18. Some of the other rooms are panelled; the dining room has a carved cornice and frieze and fluted Corinthian pilasters. At one side of the house is a Victorian wing with an Italianate tower. Bought by John Hely-Hutchinson in 2nd half of C19. Recently the home of Mr G.R. Dawes; now of Sir Robert Davis-Goff, Bt(PB).”
Paddy Rossmore. Photographs. Edited by Robert O’Byrne. The Lilliput Press, Dublin 7, 2019.
“…Sir Edward Lovett Pearce has sometimes been claimed to be the architect and while the late Maurice Craig argued that “a slight awkwardness in the handling” of certain elements discouraged this attribution, “it is, even so, certain that Seafield is a building of the Pearce school, and even possible that the design was outlined by him and executed by someone else.” Internally, an immediate impression is made by a single feature: the double-height entrance hall that runs the full depth of the building, its walls lined with superimposed fluted Ionic and Doric pilasters, the spaces between them filled with grisaille classical figures. The space looks much as it did when photographed by the first Irish Georgian Society for the fifth volume of its Records of Eighteenth Century Architectre and Decoration in Dublin, published in 1913.
Seafield was originally owned by Benedict Arthur, whose descendants appear to have remained there for much of the eighteenth century. In 1834 it formed part of the inheritance of Sophia Synge-Hutchinson, daughter of the Rev. Sir Samuel Samuel Synge-Hutchinson who that year married her cousin, the Hon. Coote Hely-Hutchinson, and members of their family were responsible for adding a large extension on the east side of the house that can be seen in Paddy’s photograph. Happily, Seafield has been well-maintained by successive owners to the present day.”
Seafield House, Ballymadrough, Donabate, Co. Dublin, K36D343
Sold: €6,950,000 Asking: €9,950,000
8 Bed 7 Bath
for sale courtesy Sotheby’s and Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes.
Price: €9.995 million
What: within 15km of Dublin city centre, yet more suggestive of an Italian palazzo, Seafield House is a Grade 1 listed, five-bay, three-storey, 300-year-old Palladian villa on 80 acres of parkland. A “west wing” was added in 1857, as well as an Italianate tower, and a coach and stable yard with clock tower. The sprawling 895 metre mansion, overlooking the estuary to Malahide, was refurbished by its current owners, in situ for about 20 years. It includes stunning plasterwork details, marble fireplaces, a grand double-height atrium running the depth of the house, eight bedroom suites, a bright kitchen, a sitting room, three formal reception rooms, an office, wine cellar and ample storage. There are about 15 acres of woodland, a south-facing walled garden, a gate lodge, coach and stable yard with a fully fitted apartment, a series of stables, loose boxes and outbuildings, formal gardens and 15 acres of forestry.
Agent: Roseanne De Vere Hunt at Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes at 01-2376300.
Article in Irish Times by Madeleine Lyons Thu May 17 2018
“Grand Palladian mansion with sea views in Donabate for €10m”
Seafield House, on 80 acres in Donabate, is one of Dublin’s finest restored homes.
Seafield House in Donabate may be located a half hour from the city centre but once through the gates it’s like entering another realm. At the end of the long tree-lined avenue the main house reveals itself, and what a reveal. A rare Palladian mansion standing proudly in an 80-acre parkland setting with views across the estuary to Malahide, it is one of Dublin’s finer homes and best kept secrets.
One of Seafield’s great claims is that it is believed to have been built nearly 300 years ago by the classical architect Sir Edward Lovett Pearce. A champion of the Palladian style, his finest buildings in Ireland include Castletown House and the Irish Houses of Parliament (today the Bank of Ireland) on College Green. Lovett Pearce died in 1733 and the original Seafield House dating from 1730 certainly bears many of the hallmarks of his elegant symmetrical designs.
About a 100 years later a west wing was added to include an Italianate tower (more of a cosmetic than practical enhancement)and a coach and stable yard complete with clock tower.
The original owner of the property was Bendict Arthure, the high sheriff of Dublin. It was then for many years in the hands of the Hely-Hutchinson family, prominent figures in Irish political history. Its latter day owners were the renowned property and art collectors Sir Robert and Lady Sheelagh Goff who lived at Seafield House for many years before moving to the Ballincor estate on 4,000 acres in the Wicklow Mountains.
In 1996 they sold the house to the current owners for just under IR£1 million. Liam and Kaye Cronin, originally from Cork, had lived in London for many years where Liam had built a substantial clothes import business, but in the late 1990s they decided to plan a return to Ireland and Seafield House was identified.
Liam says Kaye couldn’t understand why more people weren’t interested in buying Seafield at the time; he adds that it may have had something to do with the substantial additional investment required in the property.
Its refurbishment, retaining original features, took more than a year, and an estimated IR£3million to complete. It involved a complete rewiring, replumbing, reroofing and upgrade of windows and bathrooms, and even the addition of a new flight of granite steps sweeping up to the front door.
Some 21 years on, and the Cronins are ready now for retirement proper. and are moving on to (nearby) pastures new. They are selling Seafield House with 895sq m/9,634sq ft on 80 acres with gardens, coach and stable yard through Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes for €9.95million.
During their tenure the Cronins took great care to preserve the history of the house which centres around a dramatic double-height entrance hall, which, typical of the design style of the time, runs the depth of the building and is unimpeded by the staircase tucked away off the hall.
The result is a bright, naturally-lit space dominated by a series of meticulously restored full-length wall paintings of various figures from Greek mythology. From the school of Dutch artist William van der Hagen, these unique monochrome Grisele drawings are some of the earliest examples of their kind in Ireland.
Overlooking the grand hall is an open gallery linking the principle bedrooms on the upper floor.
Kaye spent three years decorating the house to a rich and sumptuous palette of colours and textures. A striking bespoke carpet runs throughout the property from the main hall and gives a luxurious flow to the house. The graphic emblem at its heart mirrors the fanlight design over the front door.
Elsewhere, and in particular in the three fine reception rooms off the main hall, great care has been taken to retain the qualities of the original design, in particular in the panelling and plasterwork. An Adam fireplace sits in the dining room, and across the way in the drawing room is a fine marble fireplace rescued from a castle at Lough Lomond in Scotland.
The beauty of these classic Georgian dwellings is their restraint, which means the reception rooms are very liveable thanks to modest proportions symmetrically built around fireplaces and the tall recessed windows with woodland and estuary views.
Beyond the formal accommodation, the house relaxes into a more homely ambience, leading downwards to a bright country kitchen in the Victorian wing and alongside it a cosy club-style sitting room where the family spend much of their time.
The lower ground floor is encouragingly dry – not always the case – and new owners have a blank slate here to reconfigured it as additional accommodation, games rooms or a gym.
Upstairs, and arranged over two floors there are eight bedrooms, the four on the first floor are laid out in suites – a little dated now, these are likely to get a cosmetic refresh, though the bone structure is there. Up again is a series of double rooms arranged around a central space ideal for visiting children and grandchildren – a place where they can escape to and play.
Outside, nearly 600 trees have been planted in 15 acres of woodland. “I made sure they were at least 20 years old, because I wanted to enjoy them in my lifetime,” says Liam.
There is a lovely south-facing walled garden and a kitchen garden ensuring fresh daily produce. A yew walk echoes the famous one at Lismore Castle in Co Waterford, and stone steps lead to more walks throughout the grounds.
The statuary everywhere is impressive, the highlight of which is an Italian fountain sourced by Kaye that cleverly anchors and connects Seafield’s striking façade with those sea views.
Selling agent Roseanne de Vere Hunt believes the property’s major attraction apart from the compelling historic house is its accessibility to Dublin airport (within 10 minutes) and the city centre. There are few properties that offer the same substantial private acreage within such easy reach of the city.
De Vere Hunt says there is a growing US market for European properties providing an escape from the US, and also interest among Asian buyers educating their children in Europe.
Irish Independent by Katy McGuinness Sun 1st Nov 2020:
Liam Cronin recalls the day he saw Seafield House, for the first time, back in 1996.
“They were the worst possible circumstances,” he says. “Kaye and I were looking for a retirement home in Ireland while we were still based in London. In those days, you saw a picture in the paper and hopped on a plane. It was usually a let-down. I’d already been to see six or seven disappointing properties, but when I came through the gates and on to the driveway, I could see the sea beyond and it was love at first sight. I said to my wife, ‘Whatever the house is like, the location is perfect.'”
The architect of Seafield, which dates from 1750, is believed to have been Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, known as an exponent of Palladianism and also responsible for the original Houses of Parliament on College Green (now the Bank of Ireland) and the Cashel Palace, currently undergoing renovation and due to open as a hotel next year.
Seafield House was occupied originally by Benedict Arthur, High Sheriff of Dublin at the time, and encompassed parts of an earlier house. The Hely-Hutchinson family remodelled around 1855, adding the West Wing, complete with a five-storey Italianate viewing tower, stable yard, clock tower and coach houses, and landscaped the gardens, planting the beautiful Yew Walk.
In 1932, Seafield became home to the Dawes family, and subsequently to Sir Robert and Lady Goff, from whom the Cronins bought in 1996.
“We paid £1m for the house, which was a shell – and a shell with cracks, as our architect pointed out,” says Liam.
He and Kaye are originally from Cork but lived in London for many years, where Liam built a successful business importing clothing.
“We went on to spend another three-quarters of a million on the restoration, which we completed in 1997 and included rewiring, replumbing, reroofing, window repair and the replacement and refitting of all bathrooms. It took us another four years to find the right furniture and art for the house, so I am strongly encouraging whoever buys the house to buy those pieces too.”
During that time, Liam and Kaye, their five children and 10 grandchildren enjoyed holidaying at Seafield, where a housekeeper remained in residence throughout. They made it their permanent home in 2003 and have lived here ever since.
Although undeniably large, Seafield is a liveable house, with five principal reception rooms and a country-style kitchen, complete with AGA, on the ground floor. The eight bedrooms are spread over two floors, while the basement level is damp-free and ready to be put to whatever use new owners prefer. In addition, there is a gate lodge and a studio apartment.
Eighty-one-year-old Liam says they would not be selling now if it weren’t for his age.
“It is a magical house,” he says. “We have had wonderful parties here and the view of the sea from every room at the front of the house is magnificent. A piece of stone would feel romantic looking at the light on the water when there is a full moon.”
Seafield lies just half an hour from Dublin city centre and 15 minutes’ drive from the airport, overlooking the Malahide estuary and with views of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains in the distance. The sheltered portico is the place to sit on a sunny day, and there is a private slipway from where the boat journey to Malahide takes just five minutes – Liam can’t swim and hasn’t used this mode of transport, but others have.
The 80 acres of land are mainly in tillage, currently leased to a local farmer, but the field closest to the house is a hay and wildflower meadow that is spectacular in summer and mown only once a year.
The property has been on the market since 2018, but there is no sign of a price drop.
“It is rare to find a country estate so close to the city centre and yet so private,” says joint agent, David Ashmore. “The pandemic has brought about a reawakening of positive sentiment in the market for premium country properties, the idea of having a resort at home is fashionable again and the domestic market is the strongest it’s been in 20 years.”
That said, he believes that Seafield is most likely to sell to an overseas buyer.
“The largest overseas market for properties such as this is the US, followed by the EU – primarily people from France, Italy, Austria, Germany and Holland, countries that have a history of buying property in Ireland back in the ’70s and ’80s – and then the UK.” David says he has had some key enquiries from China too.
Whereas pre-pandemic there may have been interest from those considering a commercial use for a property such as this, David Ashmore says private buyers are currently very much to the fore.
“Some are looking at a property such as this as a home for their exclusive use,” he says, “but increasingly some are willing to allow the property to be used as a fully-serviced, high-end rental when they are not themselves in residence, as has been the case for many years in locations such as the Hamptons and Cape Cod.”
Whoever ends up buying Seafield House will be only the sixth owner since it was built 270 years ago.
“It’s always a sign of a good property,” says David Ashmore, “that it doesn’t transact often.”
Size: 921sqm (main house)
Joint agents: Ireland Sotheby’s International Realty (David Ashmore) (01) 907 9790/Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes (Roseanne de Vere Hunt/David Blanc) (01) 237 6402
Detached five-bay three-storey over basement Palladian villa, c.1750, with advanced tetrastyle granite Doric portico, balustrade to parapet and having curved quadrant wall to right side. Sandstone and granite steps to entrance with nap rendered plinth walls and piers crowned by spheres. Four-bay two-storey wing, c.1855, to west, terminated by five-stage Italianate tower. ROOF: Hidden behind ballustraded parapet; three hipped roofs running perpendicular to façade; slate; terracotta ridge tiles; tall nap rendered stacks with modillion cornices; hipped slate roof to wing. WALLS: Nap rendered; granite plinth and string courses; granite balustrade to parapet; granite quoins; pebble dash side elevation; channelled render to wing. OPENINGS: Square headed; granite surrounds with keystones to ground floor openings; granite and limestone cills; timber sashes, c.1890, to basement and ground floor; timber casements above 2/2 and 1/1 timber sashes to rear; rendered surrounds to wing windows; granite cills; single pane timber sashes; square headed stone doorcast to main block; console brackets and cornice; decorative timber overlight; timber and glazed double doors flanked by single pane timber sash sidelights; roundheaded doorcase to wing; rendered archivolt and wings original panelled timber double doors; granite steps. INTERIOR:Two-storey hall runs full depth of house crossed by gallery.
Irish Historic Houses 