Lion Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Pair of free-standing aediculated sandstone gate piers, erected c.1780, surmounted by pair of statues of lions and flanked by rubblestone screen walls. Designed by Michael Shanahan. Located along the north side of Mussenden Road as the principal entrance to Downhill Palace (HB03/12/015A) to the northeast and the walled garden and dove-cote to the north (HB03/12/015C).

The front west elevation to each pier is built in pink sandstone ashlar and comprises a central niche with wave-moulded course to the base, fluted course at impost level and a rectangular panel over embellished with bell-flower festoons. Each niche is flanked by full-height quarter-engaged Doric columns on plinth bases with gadroon embellished capitals with fluted necks. The columns support an architrave, frieze and mutuled cornice. The frieze has bucrania linked by bell-flower garlands with corresponding guttae encroaching the architrave. Each crowning cornice is lead lined and supports a replacement statue of a lion holding a sphere (replaced c.2000) mounted on a rectangular base. The piers support a pair of wrought-iron gates with spear-head finials.

The rear east elevation to each pier is also built in pink sandstone ashlar and comprises a shallow round-headed panel with vermiculated base and keystone flanked by full-height Doric pilasters having alternating smooth and vermiculated stonework on raised plinths. Each pair of pilasters support a full Doric entablature with triglyphs, paterae to the meotopes and surmounted by a mutuled crowning cornice.

Each pier is flanked by a curved rubblestone screen wall with segmental-headed blind panels and concrete coping, that to the north having a pedestrian opening with voussoired basalt head and redbrick jambs.

Setting
Located along the north side of Mussenden Road with direct view of Downhill Palace (HB03/12/015A) and a front lawned area providing public access to both the palace and the walled garden via bitmac driveway.

Roof None
RWG None
Walling Pink sandstone ashlar
Windows None

Historical information

The Lion Gate was the first entrance gateway to be built to Downhill Castle c1780 and was originally called the West Gate. On the cornice of the gate rest a pair of leopards/lynxes , more properly referred to in heraldry as ‘ounces’. The creatures resemble the leopard-like animals on the Hervey coat of arms and were added to the gateway c1787. Gate lodges originally stood on either side of the gateway which were probably erected in 1791, as correspondence of that year notes that they were being plastered. (Girvan; Dean) The design of the gates and lodges is Wyattesque but was executed by Shanahan. (Eccles) The first edition OS map of 1831 shows the two gate lodges and the first survey photograph of 1977 records the last remaining lodge which is now gone.

The gateway was under construction in 1783 when the architect Michael Shanahan suggested to his patron that a small gate in either wall joining the piers ‘would be very useful’. One of these gateways was constructed, athough it is unclear when, and survives to the present day. (Eccles; Rankin)

It is not clear who carved the ounces originally but in 1787 Shanahan writes that his original choice of carver had died, delaying the completion of the ‘leopards’. Shanahan had workshops in Cork and had much of the architectural decoration for Downhill carved there. Payments are recorded in 1780 and 1787 to Mr Foy and Thomas McWilliams with respect to leopards and it has also been suggested that the carvings were made locally by a Mr McCullough, father of a famous nineteenth century actor (Eccles; Rankin)

In 1976 the remaining gate lodge was partially demolished in a road widening scheme. The gate and lodge were listed in 1978 but the lodge did not survive a further road realignment by the Department of the Environment and was demolished in the early 1980s. (HB file)

By the 1970s only one ounce remained over the gateway, and a restoration project was recently undertaken by Cliveden Restoration of Maidenhead. Two new ounces were carved and remounted on the gate piers and the piers themselves were also conserved and repaired. The original ounce was retained and is now on display at Hezlett House.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/2/1 First Edition OS Map 1831
2. PRONI OS/6/5/2/2 Second Edition OS map 1848
3. PRONI OS/6/5/2/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/2/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1923
5. HB file – 03/12/018

Secondary Sources

1. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
2. Eccles, J “Downhill, A Scrapbook of People and Place” London: Bath Press, 1996
3. Rankin, P “Irish Building Ventures of the Earl Bishop of Derry” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972
4. www.clivedenconservation.com

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Pair of free-standing sandstone gate piers, erected c.1780, surmounted by pair of statues of ounces and flanked by rubblestone screen walls. Despite the loss of the original statues that give the entrance its name, the Adamesque stone detailing on the piers represent a formidable exercise in Neo-classical stone carving and prepare the visitor for the splendour of the palace in the distance, constituting an impressive composition in the landscape. It has group value with the other listed structures in Downhill estate

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.

Renumbered as part of a group. Formerly HB03/12/018.