Wall & Secondary Entrance Gates

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

NB: This record cannot be defined by one grid reference only. The main references referring to the entrance gates are as follows:
OS Map No. 29/6NE IG Ref: C6907 2319 OS Map No. 29/2NW IG Ref: C6921 2411

The Estate boundary wall encompasses the demesne on the west, south and east sides i.e. along Dowland, Scriggan and Broad Roads. On the latter road the wall extends north east a short distance beyond the Ringsend fork. The wall is pierced by three sets of gates and piers, two principal gates on the Dowland and Broad Roads known as the East (HB02/11/002G) and West (HB02/11/002H) entrances and each commanded by a gate lodge (the lodge and associated gate and screen are listed together). The third (the Secondary Gate) occurs also on the Dowland Road opposite a terrace of four 1½ storey cottages. This record relates to the wall and secondary gate but omitting the principal gates, screens and the small sections of wall listed with them

The boundary wall built of sandstone varies in height and quality. In parts rubble but mostly roughly squared stone in courses 450mm thick with squared coping stone approximately 750 x 125mm with no overhang and flat on top. Built as a famine relief scheme, at bridges it is built on top of the parapet wall. It has been altered in alignment due to public road changes. First occurred when the line of Broad Road was realigned between Drummond Bridge and Scriggan Road junction and at the junction of the latter with Dowland Road when sightlines were improved and a section of boundary wall rebuilt. Along part of Scriggan Road the wall has been strengthened by half pyramid shaped buttresses. On the Dowland Road the wall extends past the west lodge to the position of the entrance to Streeve House.

Secondary Entrance Dowland Road - this is a simple gateway of wrought iron gates between ashlar sandstone squared piers with a single wicket gate constructed in the estate wall.

There are other gates in the estate wall but these are generally closed with modern farm gates. There is a narrow gateway formed in the realigned road at the Dromachose old church with squared ashlar sandstone piers.

Historical information

The boundary wall dates from late 1840s & c1860s.

References:

Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 9.
The Gate Lodges of Ulster - Dean

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

The estate boundary wall is historically a good example of famine relief work though that part adjacent to the Drumachose old church is c1860s and several parts recent work due to modern road realignment. Indeed at one point (Crossnadonnell )the modern road cuts into the former estate wall which has been allowed to remain standing between old and new road lines.