Gatelodge and gates to Kinghill House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Ruinous one and a half storey / two bay gatelodge within the demesne of Kinghill House. It is aligned NW-SE on the N side of Hilltown Road.

Pitched natural slate roof with overhanging gables (very little of which now remains). Walls are uncoursed random rubble with lined lime render and an advanced red brick eaves course.

Front elevation faces NE. To centre are the remains of a shallow gabled porch (this leads into right-hand bay). Porch walls are red brick with lined render over and granite kneestones. Door gone. Single windows to either side of porch. Both have stepped red brick surrounds and granite cills, but no timbers remain.

Left gable faces to road. At ground floor centre is a collapsed canted bay window. Only its base wall, granite cills and a single granite mullion remain. Ghost in the render above shows it to have had a shallow canted lean-to roof. In gable over is a stucco roundel.

Rear elevation has two openings. That to left is a window (granite lintel and cill) which has been partially infilled (to right). That to right is a narrow doorway.

Right gable has an infilled opening at ground floor centre and a small window opening in gable at attic level.

Entrance from road consists of a screen wall, gates and piers. The low screen wall is concave and constructed in granite rubble, lined rendered to road and with a moulded rendered coping. To centre are four gate piers. Each has a chamfered base and a large one-piece ashlar granite post which has an incised panel on each face, with a frieze over. All have moulded pyramidal copings. The central carriageway has no gates. To its left and right are pedestrian gateways, each of which retains a wrought iron gate with dog bars and spearhead finials. The drive leads from here, past the gatelodge towards Kinghill House (HB 16/07/032).

Historical information

Not shown on 1834 OS 6” map. First appears on 1859 map. Probably erected in later 1830s in connection with refurbishment of Kinghill House by William Newell Barron.

Primary Sources:
1. 1834 OS 6” map, Co Down sheet 48.
2. 1859 OS 6” map, Co Down sheet 48.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This building retains some of its original architectural character and plan form in a derelict state. It also has a connection to Kinghill House (HB16/07/032) and is close to the former Kinghill National School (HB16/07/041). Insufficient remains of the historic fabric to merit statutory protection.