Barbican Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, three storey late medieval / Tudoresque style tower gate lodge of 1825 by William Vitruvius Morrison, in basalt with sandstone dressings and complete with typical accoutrements including castellated battlements, machicolations, round stair tower, arrow loops, mock portcullises etc. Popularly known as the ‘Barbican Gate’ it stands at the eastern entrance to the demesne of Glenarm Castle, and is approached by a bridge (of 1713) extending over the Glenarm River from Castle Street. Its romantic tree-lined ambience is completed by tall flanking battlemented walls which extend to the north and south and terminate in much plainer corne towers.

The front (E) elevation of the lodge comprises a central square three storey tower which is flanked to the N by much smaller two storey gabled wing, (the actual [former] gate keeper’s lodge), and to the S by a four storey circular (stair) tower with castellated parapet. To the centre of the ground floor of the E façade of the main square tower is a large sandstone dressed Tudor arched carriage opening with moulded dripstone and decorative label stops over. The arch is filled with timber sheeted double doors with studs and strap hinges. Within the wall thickness is a mock portcullis (with the ‘portcullis’ itself ‘withdrawn’ with only its lower extremities showing).

The carriage arch is flanked with smallish sandstone dressed buttresses with odd knobbly rustication. Directly above the arch is a decorative relief panel with the Antrim coat of arms and an inscription over which reads: ‘With the leave of God this castle was built By Sir Randle McDonnel Knight Erle of Antrim Havinge to His wife Dame Aellis O’Nill in the yeare of Our Lord 1636’ (obviously this whole panel is a remnant of the original 17th century house). To either side, and slightly above the panel, there are two tall narrow semicircular arch headed windows with sandstone dressings. To the centre of the second floor there is a large window consisting of three semicircular arch headed lights, all sandstone dressed. The lights have what appear to be metal frames [?or security grills]. To either side of the window is a small arrow loop.

The elevation (and all of the rest) is topped with battlements with Irish castellations. The battlements are formed as machicolations the overhang of which is supported on corbelled stone brackets (to all sides). Directly above the second floor window the machicolation is shaped as an elliptical arch. The castellations have arrow loops.

The N elevation is largely taken up with the small two storey gabled wing. The W face of this has a small semicircular headed window to left on the ground floor with an arrow loop to right on the first floor- both openings sandstone dressed. The N (gabled) face has a two light flat arched window to the centre of the ground floor while to the left of centre of the first floor there is a small semicircular arch headed window, all dressed as before. To the E face there is an arrow loop (as before) to right on the first floor, with a similar opening to the centre of the ground floor (though this could not be seen in its entirety as much of this face is obscured by ivy growth]. The wing has a slated roof, castellated parapets and crow steps to the gable.

The N facade of the main building (above the wing), has a chimneybreast which projects at second floor level and is supported on stone corbels / consul brackets. This rises above battlement level into a stack with three tall square stone ‘pots’, set corner to corner (in Tudor fashion). Machicolations extend to either side of the chimneybreast; that to the right has a semicircular soffit. Just below the machicolations are two arrow loops (one either side of the chimneybreast).

To the right side of the S elevation is a four storey circular tower with a series of small semicircular arch headed ‘rising’ stair windows, all sandstone dressed. The tower has a battlement with castellated parapet as before. The base of the battlement has a projecting ‘bull nosed’ string course. To the left of the tower to the main structure there is a semicircular arch headed window, (dressed as before), to the ground floor. The machicolations to this side are stepped.

To the centre of the W elevation is an open Tudor carriage arch with mock portcullis as E elevation (but the portcullis gate is missing). This arch is flanked by large reducing buttresses which rise up to merge with the machicolations. The soffit of the centre portion of the machicolations is formed as a pair of semicircular arches. Just below these arches (to second floor) are two narrow semicircular headed windows, dressed as before. To the first floor there is a large three light mullioned window, with sandstone dressings and badly broken moulded drip stone. Each light what appears to be a metal frame [?or security grill], as large window to E elevation. Below the window is a decorative sandstone panel inscribed: ‘This gateway was built and the castle restored by Edmund McDonnell Esquire and Anne Catherine His wife, in Her own right Countess of Antrim and viscountess of Dunluce A.D. 1825’.

Within the carriage archway there is a semicircular arched door to either side. These are studded with coach bolt heads, as before. The ceiling to the archway is a stone barrel vault ‘supported’ on dressed stone ribs.

The whole façade of the lodge, including the N wing and stair tower is in squared basalt with red sandstone dressings and in-out quoins. The windows appear to be largely plainly glazed with most fixed light.

A high rubble wall extends N and S from the ‘barbican’, following the line of the Glenarm River. Much of this wall, to either side of the lodge, is battlemented, with Irish castellations as before. 140 metres to the N, adjacent to the Glenarm Bridge, it terminates in a square two storey tower, in unadorned Irish tower house style, with castellations and arrow loops. 50 metres to the S, at a slight bend in the river is a further similar, but much smaller tower. The wall continues S a further 60 metres and terminates with the largest tower; this is square, three storey and has a battered and has a crow stepped wall which encloses a narrow stairway which drops down to the lower garden level. Each tower has a castellated battlement and arrow loops.

To the W of the tower to N, the wall heads along the Straidkilly Road. This section of walling is less impressive than that fronting on to the river, being much lower and without battlements or castellations. It is topped with rendered coping, now partly covered in moss.

Historical information

This gate lodge, popularly (if erroneously) known as the ‘Barbican Lodge’ was built in 1824-25 to designs by William Vitruvius Morrison. Its late medieval / Tudoresque styling was intended to compliment Glenarm Castle itself, which Morrison was remodelling along similar lines at the same date. The gate keeper himself lived in the two storey gabled wing to the north side, with offices within the main tower itself. The last gate keeper (‘Wee’ Billy Charlie McAuley) left the premises in 1945.

The lodge stands at the west end of the original Glenarm Bridge, which carried the main road from Larne, leading north from what is now The Vennel and Castle Street, across the Glenarm River, skirting the present estate grounds and on to what is now the Straidkilly Road. The bridge was built in 1713 at a cost of £100, replacing one of 1682 which had been swept away in a flood. It continued to carry all passing traffic until 1813 when the present Glenarm Bridge was erected a short distance to the north.

The ‘Barbican’ appears to have replaced a smaller tower which is shown on this site on Milton’s 1783 illustration of the Castle. Flanking walls are also shown on this illustration, but they are much lower than those of today (only reaching the bridge parapet level) and were probably merely retaining walls.
In 2003 the building was leased to The Irish Landmark Trust for 99 years, They carried out a scheme of conversion of the interior to two (holiday let ) apartments.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.2977 Antrim Papers
2 Thomas Milton ‘The seats and demesnes of the nobility and gentry in Ireland’ (1783) [Includes an illustration of Glenarm Castle and the bridge prior to the building of the ‘Barbican’.]
3 PRONI D.3560/3/1-7 Plans and elevations for proposed alterations to Glenarm Castle by Richard and William Vitruvius Morrison, c.1824 [This collection also includes watercolours of the castle by Morrison and plans for the ‘Barbican’ entrance.]
4 “The town and castle of Glenarm, Co. Antrim” [1830] by T.M. Baynes in ‘Ireland illustrated’ (London 1831)
5 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland…’ vol.13 [c.1830-35] ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1992), pp.123, 129-30
6 PRONI OS/6/1/29/1 OS map, Co Antrim sh 29, 1832-33
7 PRONI VAL/1B/149 First valuation, Tickmacrevan parish, 1833
8 Samuel Lewis, ‘A topographical dictionary of Ireland’ vol.1 (London 1837), p.658
9 William Makepeace Thackery, ‘Irish sketchbook’ (1843), p.238
10 Mrs and Mrs S.C. Hall, ‘Ireland: Its scenery, character etc., vol.III (London 1843), p.130
11 PRONI VAL/2D/1/11 Valuation town plan of Glenarm, 1859 [with later annotations- ?c.1900]
12 PRONI VAL/2B/1/41B Second valuation [notebook], village of Glenarm, 1859
13 PRONI OS/8/103/1 OS town plan of Glenarm, 1903
14 PRONI VAL/12E/31/1 Valuation town plan of Glenarm, 1907-[1935]
15 PRONI VAL/3G/20/1 Valuation town plan of Glenarm. 1936-57

Secondary sources
1 Rev. George Hill, ‘An historical account of the MacDonnells of Antrim…’ (Belfast 1873)
2 C.E.B. Brett, ‘Historic buildings…Glens of Antrim’ (Belfast 1971), pp.11-13
3 Jimmie Irvine, “A map of Glenarm- 1779” in ‘The Glynns- Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society’ vol.9 (1981), pp.52-61
4 Hon. Hector McDonnell, “The building of the parish church at Glenarm” in ‘The Glynns- Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society’ vol.10 (1982), pp.31-36
5 Felix McKillop, ‘Glenarm- A local history’ (Glenarm 1987)
6 Mark Bence-Jones, ‘A guide to Irish county houses’ (London 1988), pp.117, 135-36
7 ‘The architecture of Richard Morrison and William Vitruvius Morrison (Irish Architectural Archive, Dublin 1989)
8 Cathal Dallat, ‘The road to The Glens’ (Belfast 1989), p.9
9 C.E.B. Brett, ‘The buildings of County Antrim’ (Belfast 1996), pp.100-102
10 S. Watson, ‘Inside Glenarm Castle’ (Antrim Estates Company, 1998)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Large, three storey late medieval / Tudoresque style tower gate lodge of 1825 by William Vitruvius Morrison, in basalt with sandstone dressings and complete with typical accoutrements including castellated battlements, machicolations, round stair tower, arrow loops, mock portcullises etc. Popularly known as the ‘Barbican Gate’ (though the term is technically incorrect) it stands at the eastern entrance to the demesne of Glenarm Castle, and is approached by a bridge (of 1713) extending over the Glenarm River from Castle Street. Its romantic tree-lined ambience is completed by tall flanking battlemented walls, which extend to the north and south and terminate in much plainer corner towers.

General comments

Previously recorded as HB06/02/003.