19th Century Property For Sale in Co. Kildare

Crotanstown House is a substantial and gracious 19th century property, with accommodation in all extending to about 8,664 square feet, including eight bedrooms. One of the Curragh’s famous racing lodges, Crotanstown is a double-fronted, two storey Victorian house. Situated within mature private grounds, the south-facing setting enjoys magnificent views over the Curragh Plains.

The house is entered through pillared bespoke electric gates which open onto a private tree-lined driveway leading to a gravelled parking area to the front of the house. An extensive programme of internal and external renovation has been carried out by the current owners, providing comfortable modern family day living and formal entertaining. The accommodation is laid out over two floors.

An internal hall opens into the reception hall with access to a sitting room off this. To the right, leads into the music room and drawing room and a handmade Hamptons conservatory, an addition to the house by the current owners which showcases stunning views over the gardens. There is underfloor heating in the conservatory, the back reception room and dining room. The reception hall also provides access to the kitchen, dining room, garden room, study and snooker room. The first floor comprises a master bedroom with en suite bathroom and six further bedrooms. A self-contained annex completes the accommodation of the main house, with kitchen/living room and one bedroom.

Notable internal period features of Crotanstown House include cornicing, ceiling roses, bay windows, sash and case windows, hardwood floors and decorative fireplaces.

The layout of the accommodation is shown on the accompanying floorplans.

Crotanstown Cottage
Adjoining the house is a cottage extending to about 1,345 square feet. The accommodation is laid out over two floors. The ground floor includes a hall, living room, dining room and kitchen. The first floor comprises a landing, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom.

Gardens & Grounds
The extensive grounds are a particular feature of the property and surround the house, extending to about 8 acres of mature grounds, wooded policies, lawns and about 3 acres of land suitable for grazing. The garden is well maintained with beds and borders, a pond, an orchard and a Tudor-style rose garden. There are numerous mature species of trees on the grounds which includes a tennis court and a former swimming pool.

Outbuildings & Equestrian Facilities
There is a double garage next to the main house and also a charming summer house situated in the garden.

There is a separate entrance for the cottage and the equestrian facilities. The equestrian facilities are a key feature and include 40 stables, sand arena, various stores, lunging area, horse walker, Dutch barn with lean-to, midden and hard standing. The equestrian facilities are presently let. The horse walker is specifically excluded from the sale.

Services
Oil-fired central heating, fibre broadband, mains electricity, mains water, electric gates and septic tank.

Local Information
The Curragh Racecourse, spiritual home of Flat racing in Ireland and considered to be one of the finest racetracks in the world, is situated within 3 km of Crotanstown House. Home of the Classics, the Curragh Racecourse is steeped in history and tradition where racing dates back to the 1720’s on the Curragh plain. After a three-year redevelopment of the racecourse facilities, the iconic and magnificent grandstand heralds an exciting new era for the Curragh and its environs.

Punchestown (14 km), home of Irish national hunt racing, and Naas (18 km) racetracks are both within a short distance of the property where top class horse racing can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Newbridge (3 km) has an abundance of facilities, including restaurants, hotels, pubs and supermarkets. Newbridge Silverware and Whitewater Shopping Centre are situated here and offer a large variety of boutiques and retail stores. Kilcullen is close by (6 km). It is a picturesque town with many unique businesses including UK and Ireland award-winning Nolan’s Craft Butchers and Berney’s Saddlery, known worldwide for its traditional excellence making saddles and harness since 1880.

Kildare Town (8 km) is home to The Irish National Stud together with The Japanese Gardens and St. Fiachra’s Garden, one of the country’s main tourist attractions. Saint Brigid’s Cathedral and Round Tower sit centrally in the town. Kildare Village Outlet, situated just outside the town, is a renowned luxury brand shopping destination and is nestled within beautiful landscaped grounds. It is one of the 11 worldwide Luxury Brand shopping destinations with 60 Luxury Brands having their sole operating stores in Ireland in the shopping village.

There are excellent sporting and social amenities in the nearby vicinity. The Curragh Plains, set on the doorstep of the property and consisting of about 5,000 acres of unenclosed commonage with flat to gentle rolling grassland, is a great place for walking, running and outdoor activities. Golfing enthusiasts are well catered for locally with The Royal Curragh Golf Club (1 km) and Cill Dara Golf Club (5 km). Other courses in the area include the K-Club (former host of the Ryder Cup) at Straffan (25 km), Naas Golf Club (18 km) and Palmerstown Golf Club (21 km), The Heritage (27 km) and Carton House (40 km).

There is a choice of hunting packs within boxing distance, including the Kildare Hunt and the South Kildare Hunt.

A variety of primary and secondary schools serve the local area including Newbridge College (5 km) in nearby Newbridge and private boarding at Clongowes Wood College (26 km) in Clane.

History of Racing on the Curragh
It is believed that the Curragh has been used as a place of sport, games and competitions for the past 2,000 years. There are records dating back to the time of The High King of Ireland, Connaire Mor, whom visited the games at the Curragh with four chariots, with the sport of chariot racing preceding the birth of thoroughbred racing known today.

History of the House
Crotanstown House is one of the racing lodges of the Curragh sharing an important social, cultural and historical association with the equestrian activities in this region. The lodges remain in stature on the periphery of the Curragh and remain important symbols of the great Irish racing dynasty.

Home to twelve Classic winners, the property first came to prominence in the racing world in the 1800’s as the home of the legendary gambler, Buck Whaley. A little over one hundred years later, Crotanstown Stud was owned by Sir Henry Greer who stood the great Gallinule at nearby Brownstown Stud. Sir Henry introduced Aga Khan III to the turf and became the first manager of the Irish National Stud.

Soon after the World War I, the trainer J T Rogers made Crotanstown his training base and home. Rogers trained the subsequent Epsom Derby winner, Trigo, to glory at the Phoenix Stakes at Phoenix Park in 1928 and won all five Irish classics in 1935, with the colt, Museum and the filly, Smokeless. The clean sweep remains remarkably unique and has only been completed once since by Aidan O’Brien in 2008. Rogers was Irish Champion Trainer in 1935, 1936 and 1937 and was the first trainer to win the Irish Triple Crown. In total, Jack Rogers trained eleven Irish classic winners from Crotanstown.

David Ainsworth, who owned Crotanstown during the 1960s and 1970s, trained Paveh to win both the Irish 2000 Guineas, and the Sussex Stakes and King’s Company to win the National Stakes.

BER Details
Crotanstown House – BER D2 BER No. 112580022
Crotanstown Cottage – BER G BER No. 112580113