An Attenborough (lesser spotted) built this €1.3m house on Kinsale’s magnetic Compass Hill 

AN Attenborough, not of the knighted variety, built High Copse in 1975, when ordinary folk could afford to live in Kinsale.

Like ‘Sir’ David Attenborough (no relation) he had a flair for words, although Bernard George Attenborough, pen-name James S Rand, committed them to print, rather than soothing TV viewers with dulcet wildlife commentary.

Having started out as a journalist on London’s Fleet St, a bet with a colleague set him writing fiction in the style of a popular thriller — he knocked out his first book in a few hours.

In 1964, he published an international bestseller, Run for the Trees, described as “probably the finest book ever written about white hunters in the African bush”.

Having relocated here from Scotland, following the death of a son in a tragic shooting accident, he built a home on Compass Hill.

While living there, he wrote a book called The Great Sky and the Silence.

Could it be that the magnificent view from Compass Hill inspired the title?

It’s a question posed by David Peare, son of the couple that bought High Copse, following the death of Mr Attenborough.

The Peares — descendants of William F Peare who opened Ireland’s first garage on Catherine St, Waterford, in 1900 — were relocating from the rectory at St Multose’s Church of Ireland in Kinsale, where David’s father Oliver was rector from 1966-1987.

David, who spent some time living at High Copse, said the setting, spread over 0.8 acres, was “absolutely beautiful.

The sunroom faces out over the marina and looks over towards Castlepark and Charles Fort.

Compass Hill is not cheap to buy into. Right behind High Copse is Constantia Farm, a modern mansion on 27 acres, that set a new Kinsale property price record in 2022 — when it sold for €5.5m to a Cork tech entrepreneur.

David says the buyer of High Copse could build something similar to Constantia Farm, by going down a level into the hillside to create a two-storey home.

“It’s up there for all sorts of possibilities,” he says. His opinion is shared by Sinead Sinnott, of Sheehy Brothers auctioneers, whose firm also sold Constantia Farm.

“It’s possibly a knockdown job, which is not unheard of on Compass Hill,” Ms Sinnott says.

“It’s on the St John’s Hill side, which means it’s overlooking the marina and Castlepark instead of the Bandon Estuary. It’s in a great position on the hill, and I’d say some potential buyers will be looking at it as a site.” She adds that there are “no more greenfield sites available on Compass Hill, which will lead to heavy competition for any property with development/renovation potential”.

As it stands, High Copse is a decent 2,400 sq ft — which includes an incorporated double garage with conversion potential.

It is dated, but could be a terrific renovation project. David will be sorry to see it go, but is selling up following the death of his mother Roma last year.

House hunters looking for a coveted perch in Kinsale are looking at a guide price of €1.3m for High Copse.

VERDICT: The uber-attractive setting is likely to woo wealthy overseas’ buyers based on current trends. Chances are High Copse will be knocked.