IF YOU LOVE a good night out but are a fan of home comforts (and luxury finishes), Drayton Manor in Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow could be the property for you.
Sitting on two and a half acres of mature gardens, Drayton Manor is an 11-bedroom mansion that’s bound on two sides by the Three Mile Water river.
The 16,324 sq ft property is approached by a sweeping driveway, with a flight of sandstone steps leading to the double front door. With an entrance like that, the interior of the property is sure to impress.
Look familiar? Drayton Manor was once home to solicitor Gerald Kean – and it was the location for several photoshoots during his almost ten years there.
Inside, the double height hallway features a white marble fireplace, ceramic tiled floors and a grand staircase with a mezzanine walkway. From here is the drawing room with vaulted ceilings and a Georgian-style fireplace, with views across the gardens and river.
The bright and spacious kitchen is handmade and fitted with an island unit, AGA and plenty of storage, and features a dining area and access to the family room.
This is the ideal spot for entertaining a small crowd, while on the upper floor there’s a fully-fitted pub. The pub is fitted with the original bar from 108 Rathgar, with a 10-seat wooden bar, booths and display cabinets. Off the hallway here is a cigar room.
Not enough? There’s also a 52-seater cinema, with seats from none other than the Adelphi cinema in Dun Laoghaire, which closed in 1995.
Keen entertainers will surely make use of the double-height ballroom, which has seating for 260 guests, a stage, another fully fitted bar and a dance floor. If you’d rather work on your fitness, the home gym at Drayton Manor should do the trick.
There are several bedrooms on the first floor, as well as a roof terrace. The most impressive, of course, is the master bedroom suite which overlooks the garden and has an easterly-facing balcony, dressing room and bathroom.
For further entertaining, there’s a detached two-storey building on the grounds which is currently in use as a games room and bar. As well as patios, terraces and lawn areas, there are two wooden bridges on the grounds which lead to an island for outdoor entertaining. To keep the little ones busy, there’s a set of children’s tree houses too.
Despite feeling far removed from the hustle and bustle, Wicklow town is just a 10-minute drive from Drayton Manor, while Brittas Bay is five minutes away. If you fancy driving to Dublin city centre, the journey will take about an hour and 15 minutes.
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