Lych Gate

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A lych gate erected 1878, located at the entrance to Drumbeg Parish Church, south of the Drum Bridge over the River Lagan.

Pitched Rosemary tiled roofing, with ridge tiles and finials over gable apex, laid on exposed timber rafters on purlins, supported by a robust timber king post truss fixed to a vertical timber frame, braced and fixed to a oblong rounded foot stone. The timber structure encompasses the masonry arch and partially embedded into it. The walling is squared rubble sandstone with ashlar sandstone quoins and surrounds; high projected plinth rising to a moulded cornice level. Timber sheeted gates rising to the lock rail with arcaded opening with iron detailing above. The stiles have decorative mouldings at the top of the post with an inverted decorative iron arcade running over the length of the top rail.

The principal elevation north and is symmetrically arranged. The equilateral pointed arch is inscribed with “In loving memory of John Ferguson Montgomery of Ballydrain died 1876. Erected by his sister Ellen Caldwell 1878”. The arch has two orders; chamfer stop detail; yellow and red sandstone voussoirs with a red sandstone label course over. The arch is flanked by two vertical timber posts supported by bracing, rising to the open roof structure. Long-and-short quoins of yellow and red sandstone with a chamfered plinth course. A pair of copper crosses inset from the clay finials over the apex of the gable ends. The right hand side finial is broken.

The left elevation is symmetrically arranged with an open gable ended roof truss over the narrow masonry structure. The lower part of the masonry abuts the basalt random rubble wall.

The rear elevation is identical to the front.

The right elevation is identical to the left and abuts the basalt random rubble wall.

Setting:

The lych gate is located at the foot of a hill rising to the church and church yard. It is immediately adjacent to the bend of a busy road. To the left there is a post-box embedded into the masonry wall which abuts either side of the arch. The general
setting is rural with the church acting as the backdrop.

Roofing Rosem clay tile
Walling Sandstone
Windows N/A
RWG N/A

Historical information

The Lych Gate first appears on the 1901 OS map, indicated as a small rectangle at the entrance to the church grounds.

Erected in 1878, the Lych Gate located at the entrance of Drumbeg Parish Church, was installed as a memorial to John Ferguson Montgomery of Ballydrain, by his sister Ellen Callwell. (Neill) John Ferguson Montgomery born 1832 was the second son of Hugh Ferguson and inheritated the Ballydrain estate after his fathers death in 1867. Described as an outgoing, cheerfully extrovert character, he adopted the nickname ‘Rufus on account of his red hair and beard. He met his death following an accident while riding a horse in the ‘Hillsborough Cup’. After the heavy fall he was reported to have died three weeks later on 8th April 1876. (Black) It is noted by Neill that the original pitch pines gates were replaced by with current mahogany gates as a result of an accident involving an “erratic motorist.”(Neill) The location of the Lych Gate was made possible after William Smith of neighbouring Drum House and Thomas Montgomery who inherited Ballydrain after his brothers death, joined in a lease in perpetuity to give a plot of land over to the church to make a suitable entrance. (Neill) The Lych Gate has remained in-situ since its installation and continues to provide a distinct feature in the landscape.

Primary References:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/9/1 – OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/1/9/2 – OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/1/9/3 – OS Map 1901
4. PRONI OS/6/1/9/7 – OS Map 1938

Secondary References:
1. Black, E. “Lisburn Historical Society Journal, Volume 5 - Ballydrain, Dunmurry – An estate through the ages” 1984
2. Neill, M. “Recollections of the Parish of Drumbeg, Diocese of Down” c.1996

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A large well proportioned and detailed late Victorian masonry and timber lych-gate located at the entrance to the Drumbeg Parish Church erected 1878. A memorial of local interest dedicated to a member of the Montgomery family that has strong ties with parish church and the local area beyond. It has group value with St Patrick's church (HB19.23.001A)

General comments

Drumbeg Area of Village Character
Please note this receord has been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB19/23/002