Gate Screen

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Gate screen to Kilwarlin Moravian Church complex, erected c.1855, on the south side of Kilwarlin Road.

Pair of decorative cast-iron carriage gates with pine cone finials supported on pair of painted tooled sandstone ashlar pillars with capstones and ball finials having Greek key raised motif. Matching cast-iron wicket gate to either side also supported on lower piers, detailed as above. Low rendered screen wall to either side with matching cast-iron railing set into coping stone, with exposed vermiculated sandstone blocks to the south elevation only. The screen wall is terminated by a tall rustic pier to either end continuing as a quadrant wall constructed of rock-faced sandstone ashlar and finished with large quartzite boulders as coping.

The former Verger’s cottage to the west has been heavily refurbished c.2000, with the removal of roof and all external and internal fabric.

Piers Sandstone ashlar
Gates Cast-iron

Historical information

Before Rev. Basil Zula’s extensive reconstruction in 1834, the Moravian Church at Kilwarlin does not appear to have previously possessed a gate lodge. Neither is there any indication on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps that there was a gate screen at that time, however, the square plan of the ruined Moravian Church in 1833 gives the impression that an earlier wall may have enclosed the church site. The current sandstone gatescreen extends on either side from what are perhaps remnants of this earlier wall; these walls are topped by rustic flint stones which may have been a later addition.

Dean tells us that a ‘classical gatescreen’ was built around c.1855, sometime after the reconstruction of the church building. The new gatescreen and lodge first appear on the second Ordnance Survey map for the region in 1858, so it is uncertain whether they were constructed by the Greek Rev. Zula, who died in 1844, or by a later patron. Regardless of whether it was built by Zula, the gate screen may have been designed to reflect his curious nature. Dean states that the gate screen is ‘comprised of central carriage opening flanked by wickets, all with iron uprights topped by pine cones. The square stone pillars are surmounted by ball finials each with unusual Greek key pattern bands’ (Dean, p. 81). This gate pattern adds to the other exotic oddities initiated by Zula at Kilwarlin such as its setting, which he landscaped as a battle garden to represent the famous clash at Thermopylae.

By 1858 a small gate lodge is also evident on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps. Dean describes it as a ‘little single storey gabled lodge’ and states that this quaint little Victorian building has been spoiled by the modern addition of a steel beam and garage doors (Dean, p. 81). An oval plaque is attached to the Lodge on which is quoted a bible extract from 1 Chronicles 29.14 which reads ‘OF THINE OWN HAVE WE GIVEN THEE O LORD.’ The house was valued at £1. 15s. in Griffith’s Valuation, however from 1878 the gate lodge is recorded in the Annual Revisions along with two other small properties, one being a ‘workshop and shed’ and from then until 1930 was listed as one property valued at £3. 10s. During this period the gate lodge was occupied by numerous individuals who presumably maintained the church and its grounds. Today the gate lodge survives and is currently a private residence. The gate screen is well maintained and provides a fitting entrance to this interesting church.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/14/1 – First Edition OS Map (1834)
2. PRONI OS/6/3/14/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1858)
3. PRONI OS/6/3/14/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1902-1903)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/14/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1919-1920)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/45A-C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14A – Annual Revisions 1864-1879
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14B – Annual Revisions 1880-1889
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14C – Annual Revisions 1890-1908
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14D – Annual Revisions 1909-1928
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14E – Annual Revisions 1928-1930
11. PRONI VAL/12/E/102/1-2 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c.1864-c.1935)

Secondary Sources

1. Barry, J., ‘Hillsborough: A parish in the Ulster plantation’ (3rd ed.), Belfast, Universities Press., 1982.
2. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of North County Down’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002.
3. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
4. Foy, J. H., ‘Kilwarlin Moravian Church: A visitors guide’ (Pamphlet, undated).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Gate screen to Kilwarlin Moravian Church complex, erected c.1855 on the south side of Kilwarlin Road. An unusual gate screen with well proportioned decorative cast-iron gates supported on good quality stone pillars; railings terminated by naturalistic stone. Together with the alos listed Moravian Church, Manse and Hall, this gate screen forms part of a unique complex with a colourful history and is of social and interest to the local community.

General comments

Please note this record was previously numbered HB19/05/134