Spring of the Hill: 150-year-old St Lukes home with fresh decor for €495,000
The value of blending the old with the new is clear when you juxtapose the restored stone walls and decorative hallway corbel of this St Luke’s home with fresh decor. The result is a very liveable 150-year-old house with plenty of character.No 39 Spring Place, on Gardiners Hill, is a three-bed end-of-terrace house bought by the current owners in 1999.They kicked off renovation work including rewiring, installing central heating, and new windows and doors. That period was during Ireland’s ‘boom’ era so it proved difficult to get workers to quote for removing old plasterwork.“We roped in family members and took down the old plaster ourselves. And, during the course of the work, we saw how nice the old stonework was so we didn’t want to cover it up again,” says the owner.“At that stage, we were lucky to get a really top-class guy who was used to working with old stone and lime pointing, so we have the walls all restored and properly finished — and it really looks great when the morning sun comes in through the landing window,” he added.To go with the period feel of the house, they installed a Belfast sink in the kitchen of this 1870s-built property. And the original fireplaces are still in the downstairs living rooms and in two of the three bedrooms.As it’s an end-of-terrace, it’s got handy gated access to the laneway at the side of the house.You’ve got a 500m downhill stroll to St Luke’s Cross, with a post office, pubs, butchers, pharmacy, and shops. And the city centre is 2km down the hill as well.Heading off on other ‘arms’ of the cross at St Luke’s, you’ve got stylish dining options at the Montenotte Hotel and The Address.“All local amenities and bus services are right on your doorstep and there is easy access to the northern ring road network,” notes Paul Fenton, of Sherry FitzGerald.
VERDICT: Restored stonework, original fireplaces, gated side access, and proximity to the city centre all add up to a modern home in a mature city address.
