The last big-house sale in the eastern part of Co Meath was Weston House, which came to the market at €2.25 million and eventually sold in the summer of 2025 for €2.0375 million. Of a similar vintage is neighbouring Gaulstown House, between Duleek and Balrath Cross, which is now being offered for sale through Savills, seeking €2.65 million.
Both houses date from the 1830s, a period when the fortunes of the town were changing. Drogheda was beginning to take over many of the area’s market functions and, in the 1820s, a visiting tourist is reported as having described Duleek as a “decayed town”. The area began to gradually recover with churches, schools and public buildings helping to grow the dwindling population. The arrival of the railway line linking Drogheda and Navan in 1850 was less helpful, however, as it bypassed the town, making it harder for Duleek to prosper.
Who built Gaulstown House is not known, but the relative lack of economic activity in the area does not appear to have affected the means of its owners. The house was acquired by the Land Commission in 1967, having been in the hands of the Greene family since the early 1900s. It has been in the same family for the past 35 years and remains remarkably intact.
Located 5km from Duleek and 17km from Navan, Gaulstown is set on 38 acres of gardens, paddocks and woodland. It is approached along a tree-lined avenue that breaks into two paths, with one leading to the house and the other to the stable yard and coach house.
The house is two storeys over basement and extends to 465 sq m (5,000 sq ft). It has been well maintained, with its original features retained throughout and the interior designed in a manner sympathetic to the period.
The portico opens into a beautifully traditional hallway with detailed coving and centre rose, and two doors complete with fanlights straight ahead that take you into the heart of the home. There are formal reception rooms to each side of the hall. The livingroom is to the left and the drawingroom to the right, both retaining their original marble fireplaces with cushioned fender seats and beautiful plasterwork.
Behind the livingroom is the kitchen, which is traditional in appearance but modern in function. Timber cabinetry is paired with stone worktops, while a cream double Aga completes the look. The room is dual aspect, with deep-set sash windows and cushioned sills overlooking the gardens. There is room for a large table, but for more formal occasions the diningroom is across the hall.
The staircase to the first floor is naturally lit by an arched window on the return. There are four double bedrooms at this level, with the principal bedroom having an en suite bathroom and dressingroom. The remaining bedrooms share a family bathroom.
The attic has recently been refurbished and now provides a bedroom, study and a large bathroom with a free-standing bath.
A small staircase off the hallway leads to a single-storey extension at the rear, where there is a guest bathroom, utility room and a number of storerooms. Further down at basement level a range of rooms offers new owners flexibility, with potential uses including a gym, office, art studio, playroom, or even an independent living space for older children or elderly parents.
For all its generous proportions and period detailing, Gaulstown does not feel imposing. The original features give the house a strong sense of its history, but the many doors leading directly into the gardens bring light into the rooms and give the interior a relaxed, family feel.
The mature gardens are lush and established, with specimen trees and paths providing plenty of scope for wandering. Behind the house is a courtyard containing the converted coach house, while the stable yard has a stone outbuilding with six stables and separate accommodation that includes a livingroom, kitchen and three bedrooms.
On the other side of the house is a full tennis court. There is also an option to purchase an additional 36 acres of farmland that comes with a Dutch barn and a cut-stone building.