Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A one storey many gabled gate lodge with roughcast walls, colour washed with decorative panelled gables, slated roofs set beside gate piers and gates. The steeply pitched roofs give the lodge a greater impression of size than it actually has. The entrance elevation which is parallel to the avenue, has a projecting gabled porch with its axis following that of the main roof. The door without fanlight is boarded up as are all the windows of the dwelling. Thrust forward from the main wall there is a room projection, gabled and with a pair of single sash windows centred on the wall. On the flanking wall a narrow window of equal height allows, in the past, observation of approaching vehicles or carriages. The gable timber panelling consisting of a blank arcade of arched panels and above diagonal quatrefoil. The bargeboard straight and moulded.

The north side has a pair of single sash windows, close together and in the gable a vigorous pattern of half timbered work comprising horizontals, verticals and curvy diagonals. The barges have good overhang, meeting in a finial and punctuated with protruding wedges. The barge tie beam has additional support from moulded timber corbels.

The rear elevation has no windows and the south elevation, facing up the avenue, has 2 gables. There is a small gable to the projecting porch, one side of its roof runs into the gable of the main roof. Each gable is treated in half timber work similar to the north facing gable. The top half of the main gable has diagonal curving timbers and these are repeated in the smaller porch gable.

Roofs are slated in dark asbestos slates with a Tudor style brick chimney centred on ridge. The chimney appears above the ridge as a rendered white colour washed piece and changes to 2 diagonal stacks in facing brick.

The lodge is sited close to the avenue and adjoining Upper Galliagh Road. At right angles to the dwelling is the main entrance, consisting of 3 rockfaced limestone piers containing a pedestrian gate, next to the lodge, and carriage gates. Piers are square with flat pyramidal copings. From one pier a curved screen wall runs round to Upper Galliagh Road. This screen wall changes to a concrete block wall which bounds the grounds on the east side.

The cast iron gates, painted black are decorated spiky flour-de-lis coloured in gold.

There was a former outside toilet behind the projecting porch.

Historical information

The gates, piers and screen wall may date from the original house of c1846. Note that the gate lodge wall incorporates part of the pedestrian gate pier. The gate lodge is likely to be contemporaneous with the main house. The design is characteristic of R.E. Buchanan’s work. Another Londonderry architect who worked in a similar style was A. Forman Buchanan from 1890 to 1925. The building has been vacant for several years.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. map 1st Edition 1830 Londonderry 13
2. O.S. map 1st Revision 1853 Londonderry 13
3. Val. 1831 Parish of Templemore, Londonderry
4. Griffith’s Valuation 1858 Parish of Templemore, Londonderry
5. Present owner (1999)
6. McCorkell burial ground, City Cemetery, Londonderry

Secondary Sources
1. Present owner 1999
2. J A K Deans Gate Lodges of Ulster P116

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A lively late Victorian gate lodge in Arts and Craft style, well detailed with impressive gable timber framing and panelling. The contrast between timber framing painted black and the colour washed roughcast rendering is pleasing.