I wouldn’t normally associate stud farms with Co Louth but last week’s journey brought me to Coolstown House and stud, Greenmount, Castlebellingham. From the M1 motorway (Dublin/Belfast), this is a very straightforward property to find as a short drive off junction 13, towards Castlebellingham village, will bring you to Coolstown in just a few minutes.
Approached from a long post and railed entrance that meanders through much of its own parkland, Coolstown has all the hallmarks of a stud operation. The owners bought the property about 10 years ago and made a number of improvements that included upgrading the gallop and stables, installing shower and canteen facilities for staff, and giving the house a cosmetic overhaul.
Standing on circa 99.92 acres, the property is currently for sale by private treaty through Ganly Walters, Dublin, at a guide price in the region of €1.3m.
To date, Coolstown has generated a mix of interest from business people, local farmers and those with an equine background. At €1.3m, the property probably offers value for money for a stud owner given the extensive range of facilities already in place. For a farmer, however, €13,000/acre is likely to be on the high side, but as our records indicate, land in Co Louth is among the most expensive in the country. The calibre of the house and yard at Coolstown has to be reflected in the guide price.
Extending to 4,100 square feet, the house is a bungalow residence but once you step through the front door you get a great sense of space, light and sheer size. Set on a poised site overlooking the River Dee, the house commands expansive views that extend the whole way out to the Irish Sea on the east coast. In particular, the drawing room and the kitchen have the greatest views, which are further enhanced by the huge window in the kitchen (which comes with a cosy AGA) and by the French doors in the drawing room (these doors lead out to a lovely sun terrace).
The remaining accommodation downstairs includes two other reception rooms, a family bathroom and three bedrooms (master en suite) with a further three bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. Outside, there are mature gardens and lots of attractive hardwood trees that would give the impression that Coolstown was probably part of a much larger estate at one time.
While walking around the property, one of the most striking features is the enclosed Victorian lofted stable yard. With its distinct redbrick exterior, this yard comprises 20 loose boxes, a six-bay horse walker, tack room, staff canteen, office, shower area and laundry with both a four-bed apartment and a two-bed flat found upstairs.
The stables are fitted with rubber mats and they all have their own little storage box – painted bright red and fixed to the wall outside – for brushes and grooming equipment.
Beyond the courtyard there are two four-bay round roof sheds, a further five loose-boxes and a fully tiled feed room. At the back of the yard, there is a huge concrete apron – which for a farmer could be used to store silage bales – and another loose-bedded shed with two isolation stables.
Lying adjacent to the yard is the original walled garden – fully enclosed – and is currently used as a turn-out paddock for horses (for a farmer it would make the perfect paddock for calves). There is also a fine five-furlong sand gallop, an all-weather arena and a washing bay.
Set out in one 99.92-acre block, the land is rolling in nature – somewhat different to the sprawling tillage fields that are synonymous with certain parts of Co Louth – and has extensive frontage to the River Dee. Currently all in grass, the land is laid out in a range of fields and can be partly accessed from a farm roadway.
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