North gate to

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A pair of fine wrought-iron carriage gates supported on stone posts with matching pedestrian gate to the left, serving the N driveway (now disused) to Castletown House. An adjacent gate lodge has been demolished.

Carriage gates have plain dog-bars. The main bars - half as many as the dog-bars, with spearhead finials and spearheads between each bar. Decorative wrought-iron clasping bar. Gates are similar to those in flower garden of Castletown house (HB12/11/77A) without the quatrefoil frieze. Posts are one piece masonry with swept copings.

The pedestrian gate is much smaller in height and width, with plain spike finials. The smaller post supporting it at left has a plain tapered cap.

Historical information

Monea castle is a plantation structure dating from 1619 and one of the most intact of its type in Ulster. The castle, its garden and tree lined avenue are scheduled monuments (SM FER 191-61). Monea Cottage was erected to replace it after it burnt down in 1750. John Dawson Brien inherited the estate in 1856. It was he who built the lodges c1860. In 1869 he became High Sheriff / Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh and it is then that he built the present house. The 1st edition OS map shows the current demesne, with lodge and this main driveway to N.

Dean states that both lodges were c1860.

Primary Sources:
1. OS Map 1st Edition 1834, Co Fermanagh, sheet 15.
2. OS Map 2nd Edition 1857, Co Fermanagh, sheet 15.
3. OS Map Sheet 191-16, revised 1968

Secondary Sources:
1. M. Bence-Jones, ‘Country Houses of Ireland’ (London 1978), p.104.
2. A. Rowan, ‘North West Ulster’ (Penguin 1979), p.422.
3. J.A.K. Dean, ‘The Gate lodges of Ulster’ (Belfast. 1994), p.104.
4. Rev. J.B, Leslie ‘Clougher Clergy and Parishes’ (Enniskillen 1929).
5. G. Elliott, ‘Parishes of Devenish and Boho’ (Belfast 1990), p.119.
6. A. Day, ‘OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co. Fermanagh II 1834/5 Vol.14 (QUB 1992), p.49.

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 fine pair of wrought-iron carriage gates and matching pedestrian gate set within Castletown demese, one of many features of interest included in this estate.