IN PICTURES: Historic Derry Georgian country home 'Prehen House' goes on the market
One of Derry's most iconic houses, Prehen House, has been placed on the market with Savills Northern Ireland.
The iconic Georgian country home comes with an abundance of character and additional accommodation, including outbuildings.
The Grade A listed period property dates back to the 18th century and is set on a beautiful secluded site on the outskirts of the city, extending to about 9.78 acres with mature gardens and wooded areas.
The listing from Savills Northern Ireland reads: Prehen House is a stunning period property located in a secluded position surrounded by tall mature trees, with uninterrupted views out to the River Foyle and Derry city. The property has historic ties with Derry and retains many of its original features including bay windows, cornicing and intricate paintwork.
The property offers well-portioned accommodation over three floors including the basement. Upon arrival, you will enter through a stone gateway and arrive at the property via a sweeping driveway through mature trees. The ground floor of the property comprises of an entrance foyer with fantastic original features and limewash finish with 4 reception rooms leading off including a sitting room and an impressive floor to ceiling library with a fireplace and bay windows.
From the library you can get access to a further reception room which would be perfect for a family snug. The kitchen and dining area is located towards the back of the residence and provides a spacious family area with an aga, utility and a storage room.
The first floor of the property comprises of a master bedroom with dressing room and ensuite, and a further six bedrooms with one ensuite shower/toilet. The main staircase leads to a small landing area allowing access into two of the bedrooms. Further from this small landing area is the spacious reception which allows access to three bedrooms including the master bedroom. The second staircase provides access to two further bedrooms towards the back of the residence with one benefiting from an ensuite.
The property has the unique benefit of a vaulted basement with wine cellars, a consecrated Russian Orthodox Chapel, a consecrated Church of Ireland and various stores with a total of nine rooms.
Externally the property is set on about 9.78 acres including wooded areas. There is an outbuilding with former stables and a cottage which comprises of a kitchen, lounge and bedroom on the ground floor, with a further two bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor.
A map in 1619 shows the townland with a dwelling located close to the River Foyle. This dwelling is noted to have been occupied by William Taylor and was destroyed in the 1641 rebellion.
The property was then purchased by Alderman Alexander Tomkins who was Mayor of Derry at the time of the siege in 1689 and his wife Margaret, with the house at Prehen being constructed around 1660s. His son Alderman Tomkins’ served as MP for the city from 1715-39 and it is noted that he lived at Prehen.
The current iconic Georgian manor property dates back to 1700s and was designed by architect Michael Priestly. The property extended to about 3,000 acres and was built by Andrew Knox who at the time was the PM for Donegall in 1740. The Knox family owned the property for around 170 years until its was seized in WW1. During the 1920s, the land was sold off in lots and the residence was subdivided into flats. The fine and thick woodland surrounding Prehen House was sold in 1927 to the McGregors, who felled the woodland leading to controversy and a portion of the land being saved – known as Prehen Woods. During the second world war, the property was requisitioned by the army for troop accommodation. However Prehen was eventually bought back by another branch of the Knox family in 1971, with Prehen being restored by Carola and the late Julian Peck.
The Knox family produced some of the most prominent figures in the northwest of Ireland with Baron George Carl Otto Lousi Von Scheffler Knox (1884-1966), Dillwyn Knox who was instrumental in breaking the Enigma Code in WW2 (1884 – 1947), Monsignor Ronald Knox who is known for his outstanding translation of the Bible. The Knox's of Prehen have centuries long association with Derry as well as having one of the most distinctive burial vaults in Derry City Cemetery.
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