{"id":302497,"date":"2025-07-30T00:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/302497\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T00:00:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:00:18","slug":"a-rare-james-gandon-designed-estate-in-ireland-lists-for-10-9-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/302497\/","title":{"rendered":"A Rare James Gandon\u2013Designed Estate in Ireland Lists for $10.9 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tElmsworth, about 7.5 miles north of central Dublin<\/a>, is the only known private residence designed by James Gandon, the neoclassical architect behind the Irish capital\u2019s opulent Four Courts and Custom House buildings.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe villa, completed in 1794 for banker James Woodmason and now available for \u20ac9.25 million (about $10.9 million), still bears Gandon\u2019s trademarks: elegant symmetry, curved internal walls, and a sense of quiet drama that doesn\u2019t feel overwrought.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd, there\u2019s the tunnel. Now blocked on both ends, the underground passage once linked\u00a0Emsworth<\/a>\u00a0to the neighboring Abbeville estate. According to local lore, the half-mile tunnel was conceived less for convenience than for security, built during a time of civil unrest. It still exists\u2014and its presence adds a layer of intrigue to what\u2019s already one of Ireland<\/a>\u2019s most storied private homes.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe 80-acre estate, however, is far from frozen in time. The current owner, a Dublin businessman, bought the property in 2013 and spent the next decade restoring and expanding it with the help of award-winning firms\u00a0Henry J. Lyons<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ventura Design<\/a>, the Irish Times reported. Their approach wasn\u2019t only about preserving the past but also about giving the house a future.<\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: <\/strong>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi List Their English Countryside Estate for $30 Million<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"emsworth<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tA new addition houses a sleek kitchen and lounge that spills out to the gardens.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSavills Ireland<\/p>\n

\n\tA new addition with soaring ceilings and walls of glass is more of an architectural statement than a simple extension and houses a custom, dual-island kitchen by\u00a0Andrew Ryan<\/a>. The light-filled space opens to terraces on three sides, there\u2019s a hidden bar tucked behind the custom black cabinetry, and, most notably, a glass panel in the floor revealing the property\u2019s original water well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThe main house now spans over 7,100 square feet, with five reception rooms and four bedroom suites, each uniquely styled. The two-story primary suite, designed by Ventura\u2019s Arlene McIntyre, includes a private staircase down to a private bath with double marble vanities and a walk-in shower.<\/p>\n

\n\tA separate two-bedroom guest house converted from a vintage coach house has been finished to the same standard, with vaulted ceilings and a spiral staircase. A triple-bay garage and climate-controlled wine cellar are attached to the main residence, while a substantial outbuilding has been converted to include a fully equipped gym, a Pilates studio, and a spa area with a sauna and plunge pool.<\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: <\/strong>An 18th-Century Waterfront Castle in Ireland Hits the Market for $8.5 Million<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"emsworth<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe stately dining room in the main house retains much of its vintage detailing.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSavills Ireland<\/p>\n

\n\tOutdoors, the estate reads like a private wellness retreat. A heated swimming pool and jacuzzi sit beside two BBQ areas and a covered pavilion with infrared heaters, surround sound, and an outdoor TV. There\u2019s a tennis court, a padel court, an astro pitch, and a golf practice area\u2014not to mention woodland walking trails, a lake, and 17 acres of landscaped gardens. The remaining 58 acres are agricultural and currently leased to Teagasc, Ireland\u2019s agriculture authority\u2014ensuring a protective greenbelt around the estate.<\/p>\n

\n\tOver the years, Emsworth has collected a fair share of notable names. In the 1930s, it was home to John F. Maguire, who took over the Brown Thomas department store from Selfridges. Rumor has it Grace Kelly was once photographed by the pool. Newspaper founder Gerry McGuinness lived here, as did Tony O\u2019Reilly\u2019s longtime tax adviser, Noel Corcoran.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most remarkable homes to come to market in Ireland in recent years,\u201d says Savills property agent James Butler. \u201cIt\u2019s got that mix of heritage, privacy, design pedigree, and location\u2014just 15 minutes from the airport. There\u2019s really nothing else like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tClick here <\/a>to see more photos of the estate near Dublin.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"emsworth<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSavills Ireland<\/p>\n

\tAuthors<\/p>\n