Old entrance gate pillars at Finnebrogue House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Much dilapidated pair of square stone gate pillars, formerly belonging to the main entrance to the Finnebrogue House estate but now, having been superseded by a later (c.1880s) gateway to the east and bereft of gates and flanking walls, left free standing and redundant. The pillars may date from the late 17th century. The pillars are set on the N side of Finnebrogue Road, (to the rear of the gate lodge, and behind the now repositioned estate wall), roughly a mile N of Downpatrick.

The pillars are in a light greyish stone sandstone, square, with a mild baroque feel. To each of their faces (apart from the outer faces where the estate walls would have abutted) there are panelled pilasters with moulded string courses at pedestal and entablature level and a curved (ogee-like) blocking course.

Historical information

The gateway to which these pillars belonged is shown on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858. It was replaced by the present gate screen (set a few metres to the east) in c.1880.

It is difficult to date the pillars. Their slight ‘baroque’ feel could suggest an early 18th century, or even mid to late 17th century date. They are identical to a pair of pillars at the Castle Garden at Newtownards- which itself was the site of two 17th century houses, one completed in 1618, the other in 1675. The 17th century date is supported by a local tale which states that the pillars were built in that century by a mason from England named Hastings, who remained in Ireland and settled at Downpatrick.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI T.1023, D.1556, D.2480, D.3244, D.3817, D.4218 Perceval-Maxwell Papers, 1606-1969
2 PRONI OS/6/3/30/1 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 30, 1834 [This map and the revised map of 1858 both show the original entrance to the estate.]
3 PRONI OS/6/3/30/2 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 30, 1858
4 PRONI VAL.12B/18/13a-d Annual valuation revision books, 1864-79, 1880-97, 1898-1911, 1912-29
5 PRONI OS/6/3/30/3 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 30, c.1901
6 PRONI OS/6/3/31/3 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 31, c.1901

Secondary sources
1 Archaeological survey of Co Down (Belfast HMSO, 1966), p.160 [Description of the gates at Castle gardens, Newtownards.]
2 Mark Bence-Jones, ‘(Burke’s) Guide to Irish country houses (updated edition, London, 1988), p.125
3 J.A.K. Dean, ‘The gate lodges of Ulster- a gazetteer’ (Belfast 1994) pp.75-76
4 Anthony Malcomson, The Perceval-Maxwell Papers- Introduction (1997) [Available at PRONI]
5 Information supplied by Miss Eileen Halliday

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Pair of pre 1834 square stone gate pillars, formerly belonging to the main entrance to the Finnebrogue House estate but now, having been superseded by a later (c.1880s) gateway to the east and bereft of gates and flanking walls, left free standing and redundant. These pillars are similar to a pair at Castle Gardens, Newtownards, which may date from c.1675. Although they have lost their context they are an integral part of the history of Finnebrogue house.

General comments

In the first survey this record was numbered HB18/18/005C.