Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Gate screen and gate lodge to Hillsborough Castle (HB19/05/076A), lodge built c.1840, gate screen erected 1936, taken from Richhill Co.Armagh dated c.1745.

Gate Lodge:
Single-bay single-storey Neo-classical stone lodge with flat-roofed section to north, renovated in 1994 and 2007 with much stonework replaced. Square on plan facing south attached to the north end of gate screen. Pyramidal natural slate roof behind parapet wall (to south only) having lead ridges and surmounted by stone chimneystack. Red sandstone ashlar walling above projecting cornice complete with mutules. Principal south and east elevations have a large recess containing a square-headed window opening with 6/6 timber sash window and sandstone sill. West elevation abutted by rendered wall to front yard with pair of square-headed door openings having replacement timber doors. The interior has been extensively renovated with little original fabric.

Gate Screen:
Symmetrical arrangement of decorative Baroque wrought-iron gates and railings, set on a north-south axis supported on sandstone ashlar walls and terminated by tall rusticated piers, short screen walls and further pair of stone piers with timber vehicular gates. Pair of ornate wrought-iron gates hung on matching iron panels with elaborate overthrow bearing Richardson coat-of-arms surmounted by sword wielding arm. To either side is a lower matching iron railing on low sandstone ashlar wall terminated by pair of tall rusticated stone piers with corniced capstones. Main gates and railings in State Care (DOW 014:047). To either side is a red sandstone ashlar screen wall terminated to either end by pairs of timber panelled tall gates supported on sandstone piers with capstones. Gable to east wing of castle fronts onto The Square and has curved stone kerbing to north and small front lawn enclosed in iron railings to east. To east of lodge and south of guardhouse front garden area enclosed to The Square by spear-headed iron railing on low cement rendered redbrick wall with matching pedestrian gate and decorative iron lamp incorporated into railing.

Setting:
Forming the principal entrance to Hillsborough Castle, enclosing the front yard and fronting onto the west side of The Square.

Roof Natural slate
RWG N/A - concealed
Walling Sandstone ashlar
Windows Replacement timber sash

Historical information

The gate house, which abuts the south facade of the stable yard, first appears on the second edition OS map of 1858 and is probably part of the 1840s remodelling of the house and estate carried out by William and James Sands. It does not appear in valuation records, being included in the valuation of the estate. (Dean, p.79)

An earlier gate house, is not shown in 1788 but is present, captioned ‘Lodge’, in 1803, slightly to the west of the position of the present lodge. This building had gone by the first edition of the OS map.

The stone piers and wrought iron gatescreen, dating from the mid-eighteenth century, were installed at Hillsborough in 1936, having been removed from Richhill Castle, County Armagh. They are believed to be the work of the Thornberry brothers from Falmouth, who had settled in County Armagh. According to Rankin, the castle forecourt was formerly separated from the square by a screen of trees and shrubbery. However, early maps show a barrier in front of the house. In 1788 this is shown with two small gateways facing onto the square. Greenery is also shown, which would perhaps have masked the house from the Square. An 1803 estate map and the later ordnance survey maps show a similar arrangement. (Rankin, P in ‘Hillsborough Castle’, p.36)

The lodge and gatescreen were listed in 1976 (NIEA file).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/14/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/14/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/14/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1902-3
4. PRONI OS/6/3/14/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-20
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/3/14 – Townland Valuation Field Map (c.1830)
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/344A-B – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/5 – Townland Valuation Town Plan (c.1834)
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/45A-C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14/A-E – Annual Revisions (1864-1930)
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/102/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan ([c.1864]-1909)
11. PRONI D671/M/8/2 – Map of Hillsborough, 1771
12. PRONI T3153/1 – Map of Hillsborough, 1788
13. PRONI D671/M/8/25 – Map of Hillsborough c.1800
14. PRONI D671/M/8/57 – Map of Hillsborough 1803
15. PRONI D671/P/8/27/1-5 – Plans and Elevations of Stables at Hillsborough Castle, c.1795
16. NIEA file – HB19/05/077

Secondary Sources

1. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
2. “Hillsborough Castle” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
V. Authorship
Z. Rarity
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

Gate screen and gate lodge to Hillsborough Castle (HB19/05/076 A-H), lodge built c.1840, gate screen erected 1936, originally at Richhill House Co.Armagh dated c.1745. The modest neo-classical gate lodge and highly ornate gate screen form an impressive entrance screen on the west side of The Square. Although the gates were not originally intended for Hillsborough Castle, but erected at Richhill house by William Richardson in the 18th century, they have become an integral part of the complex and The Square, exhibiting highly skilled craftsmanship befitting the formal and stately ceremonies that now take place at this site. The lodge and gate screen have group value with the other listed structures at Hillsborough Castle.

General comments

This record has been re-allocated. Originally HB19/05/077.
Additional listing criteria apply-R-Age, S- Authenticity, T-Historic Importance & U - Historic Associations.