John Huston’s Irish Palace, Courtown Demesne
Historic Irish Palace, owned by legendary film actor and director John Huston, has been listed for sale via Christie’s International Real Estate for a price sources put at about $28 million. Courtown Demesne is considered one of Ireland’s most exclusive properties. During the fifties, the lavish house hosted Hollywood legends including Gregory Peck, Katharine Hepburn and John Wayne along with Irish nobility.
Impressive mansion is just 30 minutes from the capital’s city centre and is set on 433 acres of glorious mature parkland. It features stunning views of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.
The Christie’s reports that:
- The main house at Courtown Demesne features six bedrooms and four bathrooms laid out over two floors and is accessed by an impressive paneled ceiling entry hall with a central oak staircase leading to the upper floors.
- The master bedroom features an en suite bathroom and a walk-in closet with an adjoining dressing room.
- The drawing room’s timber flooring was inspired by those at Versailles, while the dining room is anchored by an elegant fireplace and enjoys ample natural light from eight large windows.
- Three of the interconnecting reception rooms overlook the paddocks and the quaint surrounding countryside
- The basement encompasses 16 rooms including a sauna, a gymnasium, a billiards room, office space, a wine cellar, a laundry room and storage spaces.
Despite this, luxury estate also features a self-contained two bedroom apartment and two houses in the main courtyard, one of which has been converted into a 10-room office facility and the other is used to house guests or staff. In addition, there are two gate lodges on the property, one at the entrance of each avenue leading to the estate. There is also a private helipad. The grounds offer a variety of outdoor activity options with polo grounds, a tennis court, croquet lawns, and an outdoor swimming pool complete with changing rooms. A large indoor arena is also suitable for equestrian use.
Approved future development plans for the property include a 126-bedroom hotel with conference facilities, spa and gymnasium areas, an 18-hole golf course with its own clubhouse, 72 holiday homes and a state-of-the-art business park for commercial purposes, though of course the new owner can choose to maintain it as a private residence. [Christies Real Estate]
