Gate lodge at Downshire Hospital

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey Italianate gate lodge (to Downshire Hospital) of perhaps c.1869 or slightly later, greatly extended c.mid 1900s and with brick façade now painted. The building is set at the E side of the main drive to the hospital, to N of Ardglass Road, on the SE outskirts of Downpatrick.

The asymmetrical front elevation faces roughly W. To left of centre of the front elevation is large gable porch projection. To the centre of the front (gabled) face of this is a relatively recent partly glazed door with semicircular fanlight and moulded surround. To the short N face of the porch is a small roundel window with moulded surround. There is a similar window to the S face. To left of the porch is a single window with modern frame and moulded surround. To the right the elevation has been extended and now has two windows (as left) with a doorway in between with door as porch (but with rectangular fanlight).

To the right of centre of the N elevation is a gabled bay similar is size to the front porch. This has a central semicircular headed sash window (with Georgian panes- 7/6) to its N face. To either side of the bay is a small roundel as front.

The S elevation is similar to that to N in that it has a projecting gabled bay (in handed fashion), however it is now obscured from view by thick shrubbery.

The rear elevation consists of two irregular gables which are now linked. The left (S) gabled section is not original. The left gable has two flat arch sash windows. The right gable has a recent looking glazed door and accompanying ‘sidelight’ sash window, to left with a semicircular headed sash window (as N elevation) to right. Projecting from both gables is a high (painted brick) wall which encloses a small rear yard with WC.

The façade is largely in brick which is now painted cream (but was undoubtedly originally unpainted- like the hospital itself). There is a rendered sill course, eaves course and plinth to much of the façade (except the S gabled section to the rear- which appears to be a later addition). The entire roof is slated and has an overhang with plain barges (to all sections apart from the aforementioned s gabled section to rear which has shaped barges). Two rendered chimney stacks with cornice course and plinth. Cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

This gate lodge was probably built in c.1865-69 at the same time as the building it fronts, the former Down County Lunatic Asylum (now Downshire Hospital). It may have been by the same man who built the hospital itself, County Surveyor Henry Smyth. Undoubtedly the lodge’s façade was unpainted, its red brick matching that of the hospital. The building was originally symmetrical but was extended to the south and rear in the mid 1900s.

In recent times the building has been used as a hostel.

References- Primary sources
1 Linen Hall Library ‘Irish Builder’ (15th March 1883)
2 George Henry Bassett, ‘County Down guide and directory’ (Dublin 1886), p.187
3 PRONI OS/6/3/37/3, 38/3, OS maps, 2nd ed, Down sheets 37 and 38, 1901

Secondary sources
1 R.E. Parkinson, ‘The centenary of the Downshire Hospital’ 1869-1969 (1969)
2 Lady Dunleath, P.J. Rankin, A Rowan, Historic buildings…Downpatrick’ (Belfast 1970), p.20. [This publication states that the gate lodge is c.1840 and belongs to a large house originally on the site of the hospital. No lodge (or house) is shown on the OS map of 1858 however.]
3 Hugh Dixon, ‘Ulster architecture 1800-1900…’ (Belfast 1972), p.28
4 J.A.K. Dean, ‘The gate lodges of Ulster- a gazetteer (Belfast 1994), p.73 [This book states that the hospital itself was built between 1883 and 1898, but much of it appears to date from 1865-69.]
5 Anthony M. Wilson, ‘Saint Patrick’s town’ (Belfast 1995), p.174, 185-87, 192, 194, 209, 221, 223
6 R.H. Buchanan and Anthony Wilson, ‘Irish historic towns atlas no.8: Downpatrick’ (Royal Irish Academy 1996)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Single storey Italianate gate lodge (to Downshire Hospital) of perhaps c.1869 or slightly later, greatly extended to south side c.mid 1900s and with brick façade now painted.