A baronet, no less, and an MP once lived here, namely Henry Echlin, Baron of the Court of Exchequer, whose eldest son was elected an MP for Downpatrick during the early 18th century. The current owners, Robin and Carole Joan Harvey, have a family connection with the house that goes way back even earlier than that, to the mid 17th century. Their ancestors owned the property between 1650 and 1670. From then it was in the ownership of the Tomlinson family, right up until 1958, when it was purchased back by Sheila Eustace Harvey, mother of Robin.

The house itself tells a fine story too, of the changing interior styles and refurbishments of the intervening centuries. A perfect example is the area now used as the diningroom, originally the kitchen, which is dominated by an impressive inglenook stone fireplace big enough to stand into.

The arch is made from local cut granite and it retains a rounded, fire-bricked oven for bread making. Look upwards in the room, and there are the original ceiling rafters . . . even older than the 17th century house itself . . . and which have become characteristically blackened by turf smoke. The ceilings are in fact a pointer again to the age of the property, being lower than the loftier, classical versions of the subsequent century, while the multi-paned windows are very deep set and still have their original shutters.

Despite a vintage that could have left the property more like a museum than a home, Kilbride is warm, welcoming and very well maintained by the owners, and comes with a lot more than its impressive period quality.

There are six bedrooms, offering the potential for future owners to create both a home and income. Outside, there is a hard tennis court, small paddock and ornamental pond charmingly laid out through the extensive formal gardens, not to mention a delightful, well-stocked kitchen garden and picturesque river frontage.

There are a number of outbuildings, mostly built of granite stone and with slate roof.

These could convert to additional living or studio space, subject to planning permission.

Accommodation in the house extends over 2,500 sq ft, through three floors, and briefly comprises the entrance hall, drawingroom, diningroom, utility hallway, kitchen, conservatory, six bedrooms, study, main bathroom and separate guest cloakroom.

Features include a white marble fireplace and built-in bookcase in the drawingroom;

the original granite fireplace (as described above) in the diningroom and now with Waterford log burning stove;

solid fuel cooker in the fitted kitchen; and cast-iron fireplaces in two of the bedrooms.

Mill Park is some 54 miles from Dublin city centre; the renowned Altamont Gardens are just five minutes' drive away. All around are the traditional pursuits synonymous with the country house, from trout fishing, boating or cruising on the River Barrow, to salmon and trout fishing on the River Slaney. Golf at a number of famous clubs, including Mount Juliet, is within reasonable reach too.

But with a house and grounds such as Mill Park, the future owner might not want to leave at all, and maybe even get stuck into writing that historical novel instead.

Price: AMV 1.2m Agent: Dawson Real Estate Alliance 059-915 1142