When I saw Craystown House, Bective, Navan, Co Meath, last week, I didn’t think it was built over 40 years ago. Probably ahead of its time, the unique design, spacious rooms, dual-aspect bedrooms, the high ceilings, the walk-in wardrobes, along with the abundance of natural light, gives a modern, fresh feel. Despite the fact that all the windows and features within the house have never been upgraded, gives an indication of the quality and the standard of the materials used the first day.

Constructed in the 1970s, this single-storey residence was architecturally built for former owner US industrialist Charlie Bird III, who used Craystown as an Irish base and a place for entertainment. This is evident from the strategic positioning of a number of sets of double doors that lead from one room to the next, allowing visitors ample space to easily mingle inside the house and outside in the garden.

With its unique villa-style appearance, the house was carefully poised to allow uninterrupted views of its own gardens and land, promptly assisted by the construction of a man-made ha-ha, which allows a glimpse of the Hill of Tara in the distance. Not lived in for a number of years, the accommodation extends to three reception rooms, kitchen, large utility, larder, cloakroom and three en-suite bedrooms (two of which have walk-in wardrobes). While the main fabric of the house is excellent, the buyer might out his or her own stamp on it in terms of upgrading the internal décor.

Outside, there are beautiful landscaped gardens and lawns with specimen trees and shrubs, box hedging and rose beds, which intermittently provide all-year-round colour. Indeed, two magnificent, variegated Holly trees on the property are thought to be over 200 years old.

Apart from the villa residence, Craystown also comes with a quaint Victorian cottage that is approached by its own avenue. Featuring deceivingly high ceilings, the cottage comes with a modern fitted kitchen, living room, dining room, utility, bathroom and two bedrooms. Lying adjacent to the cottage is a lovely compact stableyard that contains eight stables, a tack room and a feed room. There is also a four-bay hayshed and a woodchip exercise arena close by, as well as fabulous old world gardens.

To add to all this, Craystowm comes to the market with circa 67.14 acres of pasture land, which has been rented out over the past number of years. Set out in a single block containing five principal fields and a paddock, the land is gently rolling, is laid out in big divisions and includes circa seven acres of amenity forestry. Most of the land can be accessed from a farm roadway.

Approached by a winding post and railed fenced entrance, Craystown will go under the hammer on 6 June in the auction room of Raymond Potterton, Navan at 3pm. It will be offered in its entire or in two lots that include the house on 2.26 acres (€450,000) and the cottage and yard on 64.87 acres. The entire is guided at circa €900,000. CL