La Touche Cottage, Brannockstown, Co. Kildare, W91W1HW

Smyth Residential welcome you to La Touche Cottage - a beautiful and charming detached period residence situated in the heart of Brannockstown Village. This gorgeous home boasts magnificent gardens, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The interiors take you back to a bygone era and the property has been lovingly cared for by its current owner. La Touche Cottage offers a rich tapestry of history with most of its original features still in situ. It was built by John La Touche, the Master of Harristown House, who subsequently built the Baptist Church, the Manse, the schoolhouse and the vibrant national community school all adjacent to La Touche Cottage. The La Touche family were Huguenots who came to Ireland having been expelled from France, following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes via Holland in 1685. The family founded the Bank of Ireland in the mid-18th century. The other significant point of historical interest lies in John Ruskin who was a Victorian writer, philosopher, botanist and art critic. He was a visionary who wrote of the greenhouse effect in the 19th century. The tragic relationship between John Ruskin and Rose La Touche, daughter of John and Maria La Touche is well documented. It is thought that La Touche Cottage, formerly Rose Cottage, was built for Rose. However, she died at the age of only 25 in 1875 after which John and Maria La Touche lived there during the rebuilding of Harristown House after a fire in 1891. Maria commented on their return to Harristown that "she much preferred the cottage rather than sitting at end of the table in an acre of a room". In Maria's written account from La Touche Cottage in 1892, she recorded, "it's great moral training to live and it certainly strengthens one's nerves. I can hear the digging in the flowerbeds, the stirring of saucepans in the kitchen and every variety of food is smellable in every room. No member of the household can sneeze in secret, nor can anyone approach the house - back or front - without passing before one another or other of my drawing room windows. The noise will be the neighbours' cocks and donkeys and our cats. Smells will be Mary's cooking. All flocks of sheep go bleating along the road, and their drivers, generally drunk, shout and singing". La Touche Cottage is nicely positioned in Brannockstown Village which is home to many prestigous stud farms. Local towns include Naas, Kilcullen, Ballymore Eustace and Dunlavin. All amenities are close by including schools, shops, churches, pubs, restaurants and gyms. There are many sporting facilities in the locality including Punchestown racecourse, Rathsallagh golf and country club, fishing on Blessington Lakes and many scenic country walks. The property is extremely convenient to The N7 & M9 road networks which link directly with the M50 to Dublin as well as providing easy access to Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny and Waterford. The new Kerry Group Global centre is only ten minutes away. The Arrow train service is available from Newbridge or Sallins. The Luas is available from Citywest. The accommodation comprises entrance hall, living room, drawing room, kitchen, sun room, four bedrooms (two en-suite), bathroom and lean-to greenhouse. There is a private courtyard to the rear as well as seven outbuildings which are suitable for a variety of uses. Accommodation Entrance Hallway 1.19m x 3.52m (3' 11" x 11' 7") 1.33m x 5.96m (4' 4" x 19' 7") Feature Wainscot panelling. Drawing Room 3.75m x 5.78m (12' 4" x 19' 0") Original feature marble fireplace with cast iron inset. Bay window with french doors leading to patio area overlooking gardens. Triple aspect. Ceiling height of 3.24 meters. Door leading to: Dining Room 3.75m x 4.63m (12' 4" x 15' 2") Solid maple flooring. Original feature fireplace with cast iron inset and multi-fuel stove. Decorative coving. Bay window with parquet flooring and french doors leading out to granite patio are overlooking gardens. Ceiling height of 3.24 meters. Bedroom 1 3.68m x 4.11m (12' 1" x 13' 6") Fitted wardrobe. dual aspect. Decorative coving. Inner Hallway 1.20m x 2.95m (3' 11" x 9' 8") Storage closet. Bedroom 2 4.21m x 4.64m (13' 10" x 15' 3") Ceiling height 3.03 meters. En-suite 1.63m x 1.77m (5' 4" x 5' 10") White wc and wash hand basin. Shires shower with screen. Shaver light. Tiled floor. Generous wall tiles. Skylight. Bedroom 3 3.59m x 3.96m (11' 9" x 13' 0") Access via Bedroom 2. Overlooking rear courtyard. Bedroom 4 3.97m x 4.77m (13' 0" x 15' 8") Access via bedroom 2 & 3. Tv point. Door leading to rear courtyard. En-suite 1.62m x 2.74m (5' 4" x 9' 0") Sky blue wc, wash hand basin and bath. Fully tiled. Medicine cabinet. Hotpress with immersion. Bathroom 2.69m x 3.24m (8' 10" x 10' 8") White wc, wash hand basin and Jacuzzi bath. Shower. Double airing cupboard. Generous tiling. Medicine cabinet. Shaver light. Wall light. Pantry 2.74m x 2.03m (9' 0" x 6' 8") Bespoke storage and shelving. Kitchen 4.17m x 4.53m (13' 8" x 14' 10") Beautiful country dresser. Wall and base fitted unit and display unit. Large area of worktop space. Alpha oil fired range. Plumbed for washing machine and dishwasher. Stainless steel sink unit. Feature vaulted ceiling and skylight. Exposed ceiling beams. Tiled floor. Sunroom Tiled floor. Beautiful vaulted ceiling with skylight. Recess lighting. Triple aspect. Tv point. Beautiful views overlooking gardens. Lean-to greenhouse 2.13m x 5.10m (7' 0" x 16' 9") Cobblelock flooring. Leading to rear courtyard. Outside Cobblestones welcome you to the wrought-iron gates of La Touche cottage giving access to the sweeping gravel driveway which borders the beautiful gardens which provide a symphony of colour throughout the seasons. You will truly enjoy the variety of trees, shrubs, flora and fauna on display. There is a sun-drenched granite patio area, perfect for enjoying the afternoon sunshine. Pedestrian access is also provided from the footpath outside via a single burgundy wrought-iron gate leading to a footpath which will take you to the original hall door. Rear Courtyard - an oasis of peace and tranquility with hexagonal paving and raised flowerbed. Outside lighting. Outhouse 1 (10.36m x 2.74m) - currently used as apartment with kitchenette, living area, bedroom and wc. Outhouse 2 (4.30m x 3.04m) - The Stick house Outhouse 3 (2.87m x 4.17m) - The Study Outhouse 4 (4.12m x 3.28m) - The Stable Outhouse 5 (4.08m x 2.76m) - The Shed Outhouse 6 (4.28m x 3.59m) - The Garage - houses oil boiler. Plumbed for washing machine and dryer. Outhouse 7 (9.81m x 4.01m) - currently used as apartment with kitchen, bedroom, living area and wc. Features uPVC double glazed windows Oil fired central heating Alpha oil fired range Multi-fuel stove in sitting room Many original features intact Beautiful gardens very private Numerous outhouse which are suitable for a variety of uses BER Details BER: Exempt Viewing Details Viewing strictly by appointment