Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 4 bay long, single storey gate lodge, gabled, slated with nearby entrance gates, piers.

The entrance elevation, overlooks the Springhill Avenue and has an easterly aspect, has 4 bays, end bays gabled each with 2 light 6 pane casements with horizontal hood mouldings. Entrance porch projects, gabled with 3 vertical panelled doors, 2 steps, blocking plinths. Between porch and S gable a single 8 pane casement with hood moulding. Walls finished in harling with bold quoins, all painted white. Barges and fascia decorative except on porch. Low plinth. Roof natural slates with lead roll ridges and hips. S side 2 no. 8 pane casements with hoods as before, walls as before, no fascia, rafter feet exposed, ½ round metal gutter, single downpipe.

W side single gable at S end, windowless, wall finish and barges as before. 1 no. 3 light, 8 pane, casements, hood moulding, single sheeted back door with corrugated plastic canopy on brackets over, 2 light, 8 pane casement with hood moulding. Wall finish as before, no fascia, rafter feet exposed, ½ round metal gutter, roof hipped at N end. 2 red brick chimney stacks, diagonally placed on either side of main ridge and touching. To rear in angle of projecting bay a temporary lean-to structure. N side, 1, 2 light, 6 pane casements with hood. Wall finish as before. Some creepers cover walls.

The lodge is sited on narrow strip of land between main road (Springhill Road) and avenue at the end entrance to avenue 2 low ashlar sandstone square piers, moulded plinth, faces panelled, large square chamfered capping stone. Iron gates, painted with restricted decoration. Low rubble stone walls bound the estate on each side of gate piers.

Historical information

The lodge may have been built by “Wims” Lenox-Conyngham who inherited the property in c 1840. The lodge is not shown on the O.S. Map of 1832 but is shown on the revision of 1856. The property passed to the National Trust in 1957. It was extended afterwards c 1970 with the addition of 2 bedrooms at the S end. The house is occupied by retired estate gardener, who worked for the estate before 1957.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh 46.
2. O.S. Map 1832 Rev. 1856 Londonderry sh. 46.
3. Notes, 1st Survey, E.H.S. Hill Street, Belfast
4. Present occupier (2000).

Secondary Sources
1. Lenox-Conynghan, Mina An Old Ulster House

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A Tudor style gate lodge of c 1840, extended in 1970 but done sensitively and the lodge neatly and comfortably sits between the county road and entrance avenue, close by the restrained and modest entrance gates, piers and estate wall.