Windgate Villa

UrbexJunkie

Can anyone tell me a bit of history about this place? And how long its been in Greystones? Its such a beautiful home and its a shame its left this way.


Front elevation by Johnnyghia, on Flickr

Mitch Connor

UrbexJunkie wrote: »

Can anyone tell me a bit of history about this place? And how long its been in Greystones? Its such a beautiful home and its a shame its left this way.


Front elevation by Johnnyghia, on Flickr

If I won the lotto - I would love to buy that place and do it up again. Think it is a lovely location and would have stunning views. Would love it.

Seen a few groups of people hanging around there a couple of years ago on a consistent basis - thought something was going to be done with it, but nothing has happened since then.

pixbyjohn

This house belonged to the Fox family for generations. There were 2 Fox families who had farms in Windgates, Artie Fox and Kit Fox. The last Fox member to live in the house pictured was Billy Fox, his wife and family. Billy has passed on RIP.
His wife has moved to another location. As far as I know the property is owned by a developer now.

UrbexJunkie

Ah thats very sad, i remember when i went inside there was belongings everywhere just thrown about. I had a look at some documents and found they were shorthand manuals from the early 1930's. Really a shame to see someones posessions left to vandals.

I also checked out the very small scouts den at the back in the field and seen 3 bunkbeds and some old posters now that was a sight to see.

I really hope the developer fixes the house up its wonderful.

Fiachra2

pixbyjohn wrote: »

This house belonged to the Fox family for generations. There were 2 Fox families who had farms in Windgates, Artie Fox and Kit Fox. The last Fox member to live in the house pictured was Billy Fox, his wife and family. Billy has passed on RIP.
His wife has moved to another location. As far as I know the property is owned by a developer now.

Are you sure of that? I worked on that farm as a schoolboy in the mid-late 70's. It was Kit fox who lived there then. Did Billy move in after Kit died?

Interestingly Kit and I would (even at that time) go in to Bray on a horse drawn cart selling potatoes door to door.

I think you are right about the developer. Yet another planning debacle.

pixbyjohn

Fiachra2 wrote: »

Are you sure of that? I worked on that farm as a schoolboy in the mid-late 70's. It was Kit fox who lived there then. Did Billy move in after Kit died?

Interestingly Kit and I would (even at that time) go in to Bray on a horse drawn cart selling potatoes door to door.

I think you are right about the developer. Yet another planning debacle.

As far as I can remember Billy moved back for a while after his father died. Billy's wife used to stable horses there as well. There was lots of trouble and strife within the family. Anyway Billy passed on and the place was eventually sold. Artie Fox is David Fox's father and their farm was further down towards Greystones on the lefthand side. I always get mixed up between Kit and Artie but one of them blew the lower part of his arm off with a shotgun as he crossed a fence on his farm.
Kit used to sell milk from his horse and cart also.

dathi

ye pixbyjohn is right many,s the turkey i plucked there for billy back in the late 70s early 80s before i moved away it was davids father artie who lost his arm but that was before my time only heard of billys death in the last week or so (me dads a bit slow at passing on the news) may he rest in peace there cousin was johnny fox father of mildred fox the ex TD

2.8trooper

didnt billy have a disability also or a limp of somesort he used to visit friends near were i lived in kilquade for years.always remeber him having a cane.

woodsy2

I used to ogle at that house every morning on the bus going to school.


Last thing I heard was that there was a homeless or mentally ill woman living in there, don't know her story and I wont speculate, always used to see her getting off at the bus stop just across the road. Were there any signs of recent habitation in there Urbex?

Rasmus

Maybe the Greystones library would have information on house ownership from the land registry? Or would that be from the council office?

pixbyjohn

2.8trooper wrote: »

didnt billy have a disability also or a limp of somesort he used to visit friends near were i lived in kilquade for years.always remeber him having a cane.

Yes Billy lost a leg in a car accident in the Vevay , Bray. He crashed into the wall outside the Tennis Club there.

pixbyjohn

woodsy2 wrote: »

I used to ogle at that house every morning on the bus going to school.


Last thing I heard was that there was a homeless or mentally ill woman living in there, don't know her story and I wont speculate, always used to see her getting off at the bus stop just across the road. Were there any signs of recent habitation in there Urbex?

There is a lady living on the opposite side of the road in a farm. I think this is the lady you have heard about. It is Fisher's farm and she and her brother are the surviving members of the family. Her brother lives down the country somewhere.
She is not homeless and can be seen walking to Greystones regularly.

wicklow2girl

Fiachra2 wrote: »

Are you sure of that? I worked on that farm as a schoolboy in the mid-late 70's. It was Kit fox who lived there then. Did Billy move in after Kit died?

Interestingly Kit and I would (even at that time) go in to Bray on a horse drawn cart selling potatoes door to door.

I think you are right about the developer. Yet another planning debacle.

The third Fox brother, Ernest, migrated to Australia in the 1920's and a fourth was killed in France in WW1.

wicklow2girl

Rasmus wrote: »

Maybe the Greystones library would have information on house ownership from the land registry? Or would that be from the council office?

Property was purchased by Fox family 1n about 1910.

pixbyjohn

wicklow2girl wrote: »

The third Fox brother, Ernest, migrated to Australia in the 1920's and a fourth was killed in France in WW1.

So is that his (Ernest) daughter now living in Blacklion married to Peter Doyle, they met in Australia then they came to Ireland and settled here.

wicklow2girl

pixbyjohn wrote: »

So is that his (Ernest) daughter now living in Blacklion married to Peter Doyle, they met in Australia then they came to Ireland and settled here.

That is correct. Mrs. Doyle still has 2 brother & 2 sisters in Australia.

aynneone

There were 2 daughters of Billy and his wife, about 12 years ago, the eldest daughter married a guy from France by the name of Philippe who worked as a stunt man and with horses. They ran a small stables/livery up there and had an arena to the front of the house, her mother was still living there at the time. I remember being in the house, and from upstairs being able to see the downstairs rooms through the floorboards, it was falling into really bad disrepair. They then moved on, and its so sad to see it the way it is now....

Last Out

Last Out

iamfromcork

Would love to buy it but it would take me about 80 years to paid for it though
Also add a re built of Charlesland House to the list