Black Glen Lodge Cottage

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical two-bay single-storey with attic stone former gate lodge, built c.1875, with central entrance porch and set at a right angle to entrance gates to Downhill Estate. T-shaped on plan facing north with lean-to rear extension. Located at the north easternmost entrance to the Downhill Estate (HB03/12/015A-I).

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles and central stone and brick chimneystack with octagonal clay pot. Replacement cast-iron guttering supported on timber fascia to sheeted overahanging eaves with exposed rafter feet and cast-iron downpipes. Random coursed rock-faced basalt walling, tooled to the quoins only. Square-headed window openings with stop-chamfered painted masonry lintels, painted stone sills and replacement 2/2 timber sash windows.

Front north elevation is two windows wide with a central square-headed door opening having lintel as per windows, replacement timber panelled door opening into catslide canopy supported on stop-chamfered timber frame rising from low basalt walls with concrete coping.

East gable has a single window opening to the attic level.

Rear elevation abutted by central extension having a catslide slate roof at a different angle. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings to the rear elevation, with cement rendered walls to the extension and a sheeted timber door to the east.

West gable has a pair of windows to the attic level.

Setting

Located at the northeasternmost entrance to the Downhill Estate set at a right angle to a pair of tall basalt gate piers with stacked coping supporting replacement iron gates. The site is enclosed to the north and east by tall rubblestone walls with stacked coping and a pedestrian entrance to the south pier with matching iron gate and a further pedestrian gate to the north boundary wall. Gates provide public access to the estate via gravel driveway.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Replacement cast-iron
Walling Random coursed rock-faced basalt
Windows Replacement 2/2 timber sash

Historical information

Black Glen Lodge is a former gate lodge into the Downhill demesne, used as accommodation for the land steward of the Bruce estates. Only two gate lodges remain of the original five and the current building dates from c1875, a small building project of Sir Henry Hervey Bruce, third Baronet Downhill. In 1871 the third Baronet had bought out the Clothworkers’ property in the area, becoming the largest landowner and thereafter taking a particular interest in the development of Castlerock as well as rebuilding Downhill Castle after a serious fire. (Eccles)

The present gate lodge is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1904 and enters valuation records c1875 at a valuation of £2.5s. The first occupier to be noted was Henry Light followed by William Lyons in 1883, land steward to the Bruce family, who is recorded in the census of 1901 living with his wife and mother-in-law both working as domestics. The four-room house was designated second class. By 1911 William Davis had taken over as land steward. He lived with his wife and five children, the eldest son working as a saddler, most likely for the Bruce family, and his daughter as a dressmaker. The house passed to William Carson in 1925 and in the 1930s was still inhabited rent-free as a gate lodge. The accommodation consisted of a reception, kitchen and scullery on the ground floor and three bedrooms on the first floor.

The building was listed in 1977 and is in the ownership of the National Trust. Renovations took place in the 1980s and 90s and the house has been extended to the rear in recent years. (HB file)

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
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/10A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/H/6 First General Revaluation 1933-57
9. HB file – 03/12/008
10. 1901 census
11. 1911 census

Secondary Sources

1. Eccles, J “Downhill, A Scrapbook of People and Place” London: Bath Press, 1996
2. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in North Derry including Limavady, Ballykelly, Castlerock, Downhill and Magilligan” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1975n

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
U. Historic Associations
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical two-bay single-storey with attic stone former gate lodge, built c.1875, with central entrance porch and set at a right angle to entrance gates to Downhill Estate. T-shaped on plan facing north with lean-to rear extension. Located at the north easternmost entrance to the Downhill Demesne (HB03/12/015A-I). A well-proportioned late 19th century gate lodge that has been sympathetically refurbished for modern domestic use. The lodge forms an important part of the Downhill Demesne and exhibits many of the architectural detailing evident throughout the demesne and Castlerock village. It has group value with the other listed buildings in Downhill Demesne.

General comments

Additional listing criteria apply - R - Age, S- Authenticity, U- Historic Associations.

Formerly recorded as HB03/12/008