North (Town) gate screen and walling

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Broad, decorative gate screen of c.1867 by William Brown, fronting the north (or town) gateway to the Montalto estate, with square, urn-topped stone pillars and iron gates, the latter added in the early 1900s to replace the original timber versions. The screen is situated on the S side of Dromore Road, to the W of Ballynahinch town centre.

The screen is relatively wide with carriage gates to the centre with tall pillars, and a curving outer screen terminating in shorter end pillars. The main gate pillars have square shafts in rock-faced basalt-like stone [?greywacke]. The shafts rest on a bevelled plinth and have side ‘jambs’ in sandstone to which the gates and railings attach. The shaft is topped with a fluted frieze with cornice and a swagged urn on ramped base, all in sandstone. There is a surveillance camera attached to the W pillar (next to the urn).

The outer pillars are much shorter and plainer, having shafts largely as before, but with a plain sandstone frieze and corniced pyramidal cap.

The carriage gates sit between secondary cast iron posts with panels and ball finial. The gates themselves have a rising curve to the top and scroll decoration between the rails and short additional rails with arrow heads. The gates are no opened by a (hidden) electric motor. To the rear (E) the posts have recently added tubular ‘props’ (which do not appear to be physically attached to the posts).

The shorter outer railings have scrolled decoration but a generally much plainer. The railings rest on a low bevelled sandstone base. To the E side there is a pedestrian gate, with post similar to main gate only thinner.

Historical information

This gate screen was constructed in c.1867-68 to designs by William Brown of Ballynahinch. It originally had wooden gates and railings but these were replaced with the present iron versions in the early 1900s. Prior to commissioning a design from Brown, David Stewart Ker, the then owner of Montalto, had sought out ideas for the screen from architects Turner & Drew, some of which were more grandiose than that which was eventually executed.

References- Primary sources
1 Drawings and plans relating to the town gate screen, Montalto House c.1867 [Reprinted in J.A.K. Dean ‘The gate lodges of Ulster’ (Belfast 1994), p.84]

Secondary sources
1 C.E.B. Brett, ‘Historic buildings…Mid Down’ (Belfast 1974), pp.35-37
2 J.A.K. Dean ‘The gate lodges of Ulster’ (Belfast 1994), p.84

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Broad, decorative gate screen of c.1867 by William Brown of Ballynahinch, fronting the north (or town) gateway to the Montalto estate, with square, urn-topped stone pillars and iron gates, the latter added in the early 1900s to replace the original timber versions. The main gates are opened by hidden electric motors.