A magnificent country residence with 100 m lakefront at the very shore of beautiful Caragh Lake.
Price on Application. Click here to email direct to owner
Lakefield comprises over 2 hectares of mature gardens and grounds containing the principal property - Lakefield House - and 2 further properties - Lakefield Cottage and the Guest Lodge Apartments. There are a range of outbuildings including a playroom and sauna, and a boathouse and slipway to the lake.
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Reached by a sweeping gravelled driveway, this large family home features generously proportioned accommodation (ca. 3OOsqm) over two storeys built to high specification in 1979.
All measurements in metres and approximate
Ground Floor
| Hall (2.5 x 4) | Built-in louvered floor to ceiling press also containing thermostatic controls for underfloor heating, teak stairs, tiled floor |
| Living/Dining (7 x 8.5) | Black Italian marble floor, natural stone open fire place with storage space, picture window to front, windows on three sides |
| Kitchen (5.7 x 4) | Country House size and style, louvered cupboards and presses throughout, tiled breakfast counter, tiled worktops and floor, cooker block with ceramic hob, 2 flame Neff gas cooker and rectangular cooking + warming plate, extractor hood, eye level double oven, triple sink, dishwasher, fridge freezer etc. |
| Guest cloak (1.5 x 2) | With wc and whb, tiled floor and walls |
| Utility (3 x 2.5) | Fitted cupboards and presses, double sink, plumbed for dryer and washing machine, tiled floor and walls |
| Bed 1 (5 x 5) | Wall to wall built in louvered wardrobe, carpeted |
| En suite (2 x 3.3) | W.C., whb and shower (thermostat controlled), tiled floor and walls |
Living/Diningroom, Kitchen and Bedroom I all with French doors and windows onto patio overlooking the lake in front of the house
Patio (3 x 19) partly under cover, natural stone floor and stone seating. Boilerroom with dual purpose Swiss boiler/calorifier (oil/solid fuel) controls for different heating circuits
First Floor
| Landing (4.5 x 2) | Carpeted |
| Boxroom (2.5 x 2) | Wall to wall louvered wardrobes, carpeted |
| Master Suite containing: | |
| Bedroom 2 (5.5 x 4.5) | Carpeted, built in bookshelves, open to |
| Study (7 x 4) | Carpeted, natural stone open fireplace, majestic view over lake (picture windows) |
| En Suite (4 x 2.3) | Two whb, WC, bidet, thermostat controlled shower, bath, fully tiled walls and floor, storage cabinets |
| Dressing (3 x 1.6) | Built in wall to wall wardrobe, carpeted |
| Bedroom 3 (6 x 4) | Built in louvered wardrobe, french door to balcony, carpeted |
| Bedroom 4 (4.5 x 5) | Built in louvered wardrobe, french door to balcony, carpeted |
| Family Bathroom (4 x 3.3) | Two whb, WC, shower (thermostat controlled), bath, storage cabinets |
| Balcony (3 x 10.5) | Set in to roof slope, natural stone floor, suntrap facing west with breathtaking views, storage room on both ends with elec. light |
| Attic (19 x 5) | Ample space, floored for storage, elec. light |
Double glazing throughout in teak, picture windows in PVC. All radiators thermostat controlled, additional underfloor heating in all tiled and stone floored rooms, thermostat controlled. Insulated cavity walls, concrete floors.
A charming old world building (ca. 1890) in natural stone, extended and refurbished with great flair in 1978 while still retaining its original features.
| Living/Dining area with fitted Kitchen (4.4 x 6.5) | Kitchen with built-in louvered presses and cupboards, hotpress, fridge, cooker, double sink, dishwasher, large worktop area. Central open fireplace dividing open plan Living/Dining, rough 'thrown' plaster, tongue and groove cathedral ceiling with exposed beams, natural stone floor |
| Bedroom 1 (3 x 5) | Wall to wall built-in louvered wardrobe, wool carpet, |
| Bedroom 2 (2 x 5 | Wall to wall louvered wardrobe, wool carpet |
| Bathroom (2 x 2) | Shower, bath, wc, whb, floor and walls tiled |
| Boilerroom (2 x 1.5) | Storage shelves, Belfast sink, plumbing for washing machine, boiler (oil) |
All rooms are fitted with radiators, oil fired central heating (and hot water). Windows are double glazing, teak, Georgian style. Attic space
Built in 1980, overlooking garden and lake, it consists at present of two spacious independent apartments (ca. 100 and 75sqm respectively) which can easily be converted into a family residence.
Double glazed windows, velux roof windows, oil central heating with calorifier, individually thermostat controlled radiators, insulated cavity walls, all floors tiled or carpeted, kitchen and bathroom walls tiled, concrete floors
| Ground Floor | |
| Entrance (2.2 x 6) | Stairs to First floor, storage and cabinet, floor tiled |
| Hall (1.2 x 4.5) | Carpeted |
| Living/Dining (10 x 4.5 | Natural stone open fire place with fuel storage space, carpeted |
| Kitchen (4 x 2) | Built-in louvered fitted presses and cupboards, tiled walls and worktops, double sink, fridge, cooker, dishwasher |
| Bedroom 1 (4.5 x 3.2) | Built-in louvered wardrobe |
| Bedroom 2 (4.5 x 2.5) | Built-in louvered wardrobe |
| Bathroom (4 x 2) | 2 hwb, WC, bath with shower/mixer, storage cupboards |
| Boilerroom (4 x 2.7) | Oil central heating/calorifier, double sink, water pressure pump, workbench |
| First Floor | |
| Landing (1 x 1) | Carpeted |
| Hall (1.2 x 6) | Carpeted |
| Living/Dining (8 x 4.5) | Open fireplace in natural stone plus fuel storage space, carpeted |
| Kitchen (2.5 x 2) | Built-in louvered cupboards and presses, tiled walls, floor and worktops, cooker, fridge, double sink, dishwasher |
| Bedroom 1 (4 x 2.2) | Built-in louvered wardrobe, carpeted |
| Bedroom 2 (4 x 2.7) | Whb, carpeted |
| Bedroom 3(4.2 x 4.3) | Built-in louvered wardrobe, carpeted |
| Bathroom (2.5 x 2) | Tiled walls and floor, whb, WC, bath, shower |
| Some of the ceilings are partly sloping, clad in tongue and groove with exposed beams. There are excellent views across the lake with superb sunsets. | |
OUTBUILDINGS
| Playhouse (5.5 x 7.5) and Sauna | Old World natural stone building with table tennis room and SAUNA, complete with sauna cabin for 4-6 people, Tylo Swedish sauna oven (el.), restroom with benches, and hwb, sep. WC and shower, tiled floor |
| Boathouse (3 x 7) | In natural stone, double front door in timber, side entrance, electricity, small slipway |
| Oil Shed (6 x 4) | Storage building in concrete blocks for 3OOO gal. oiltank over concrete catch basin, extra storage space, roof in natural slates |
| Tractor (1.6 x 2.5) | Quaint old natural stone building, housing garden mower/tractor |
| Stores (5 x 10) | Natural stone cottage in three sections for tools, solid fuel, provisions etc., electricity |
Lakefield was mentioned on the old survey maps of 1864, as one of the three estates on
the shores of Caragh Lake.
The layout of the gardens is much the original one as designed and developed around the
turn of the century. Original dry stone walls divide the property into different sections
- for instance the former cattle compound is now a delightful sunken garden, and the
vegetable plot has become the walled rose garden. Some of the existing bushes and trees
were planted 100 years ago, including the mighty Monterey pine at the entrance, the
Austrian pine near the rose garden, and numerous rhododendrons, fuchsias. The present
owners have planted many more over the last 20 years.
A sweeping gravelled drive fringed by fuchsias and rhododendrons is now the entrance to
the house which can not be seen from the road. The former cattle compound, now the sunken
circular garden contains delicate rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, white fuchsias,
magnolia etc. subplanted with bluebells and montbretias. Opposite stretches a wooded area
with rhododendrons, pines, wild apple and ornamental plums. The elevated main residence
looks down into a walled front garden sporting hybrid rhododendron, one of which , named
'Christmas Cheer' appropriately flowers in winter. Hydrangeas and camellias provide the
backdrop to the patio wall in front of the house.
The gravelled forecourt serves the main house, the Cottage (and the sauna/playhouse) which is enveloped in a riot of old roses and accommodates the carport at the side of the main house. There is easy parking for 5 cars. The drive continues to the Guest Lodge that in turn provides gravelled parking space for 4 cars.
Another wooded area with old lime, pine, rhododendron, japanese lantern trees, willowpear, bluebells and montbretias etc leads to the storage building housing the 3000 gal. oil tank behind the cottage.
Lawn, bordered by old pine trees at the side of the Guesthouse provides a playing and 'lazying' area next to the walled rose garden - once the vegetable garden - which features old fragrant roses whose heady perfume invite you to put your deckchair in their midst, take out a book and just enjoy the peace and quiet of this enchanted area.
The lawn rolling down to the lake shore is dotted with daffodils; giant gunnera unfold their huge leafs, bamboo is swaying in the breeze and 'Maidenhair' Pine, Chestnut, Lebanon Cedar, Birch and Copper Beech accentuate the open space.
Railwaysleepers lead you down to the boathouse which is tucked away between old lime and linden trees, pine, elm and larch. A gently curved pebble beach which in turn is bordered by a densely wooded area giving unrivalled privacy, invites swimmer, fisherman and sailor to explore the romantic Caragh Lake, which must be the 'jewel in the crown' of beautiful Kerry.
The old three part stone building between the Cottage and the Guesthouse provides additional storage space for tools, machinery and even wine. One corner of the rose garden wall has a small chapel like stone building attached, once an apple store and potting shed, now housing the lawn tractor.
Lakefield, despite the partly modern buildings always retained the 'old world' feeling due to the unchanged layout of the gardens and its mature plants, because of its surprising vistas and hidden corners which were allowed to develop naturally and stay semi-wild.
The estate, due to its size and shape offers further development potential (subject to planning permission).