The Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical single-storey two-bay gate lodge in the neoclassical style; built c.1871 and located north of the junction between Killaire Avenue and Killaire Park at the entrance of Bridge House. Rectangular on plan with projecting gabled porch and rear return; flat-roof modern extension with conservatory to north and rear; abutted by modern octagonal timber pavilion to rear with part-glazed link block to main lodge.

Hipped natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles. Cantered chimneystack with corbelled plinth and two terracotta pots; smaller chimneystack to rear having decorative tall clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on corbelled eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with raised quoins and plinth; moulded string course below corbelled eaves. Windows are timber-framed with margin panes (some replacements) with moulded architraves, having keyblock, and sill.

The principal elevation faces east, comprising single window to either side of slightly projecting gabled porch with bracketed eaves and bargeboards, series of rectangular panels to either side of entrance; timber-sheeted door with segmental-arched transom light and moulded surround with keyblock on moulded string course; accessed by single stone step.

The south elevation contains a single window opening to main block; to return are two replacement timber windows.

The west (rear) elevation is abutted by flat roof modern extension with conservatory (of no interest).

The north elevation has a replacement tripartite window to main block; return is abutted by flat-roof modern extension, which is in turn abutted by modern linking block and octagonal linking block.

Setting

Located at the south entrance to Bridge House; enclosed to south and rear by painted masonry wall; entrance with tall sandstone gate piers having polygonal caps and curved cast-iron railings. Gravelled on all sides with stone slab pathway to entrance.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: Timber-framed
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Built between 1871 and 1873 as the gate lodge to Bridge House, formerly named ‘Elsinore’, the ‘Lodge’ is captioned on the third edition OS map of 1901. The building is first listed in valuation records in 1873 as part of the Elsinore estate and adds, together with additional outbuildings, £15 to the valuation. (Annual Revisions) The architects for the house and lodge are not known but Dean suggests that the lodge may be the work of Young and Mackenzie (Dean, p.75).

‘Elsinore’ first enters valuation records in 1871 as a house and land, occupied by Daniel Joseph Jaffe and leased from Richard R Clelland. The valuation is £78. Building work appears to be ongoing for some time as in 1873 offices, the gate lodge and a pleasure ground are added to the description and the valuation is raised to £93. (Annual Revisions)

Daniel Joseph Jaffe, linen merchant, was the founder and organiser of Belfast’s Jewish congregation and laid the foundation stone of the synagogue in Great Victoria Street in 1871. His son was to become Belfast’s first Lord Mayor in 1899. Jaffe also lived at Craigdarragh (HB23/16/17) during this period, perhaps awaiting completion of his mansion, but he died in 1874 not long after ‘Elsinore’ was finished. (Dictionary of Irish Biography; Annual Revisions; Hyman, p.204-5)

The occupants of the gate lodge are not separately listed in Annual Revisions but it appears from census returns in 1901 that the lodge may have been the home of the gardener or coachman to the Lepper family, occupants of the main house at this period. Francis Robert Lepper was a director of the Ulster Bank. (Knox, p.78) By 1911 the Leppers had only a gardener still living in the grounds, but it is not clear whether or not he and his family occupied the gate house. (Annual Revisions; 1901, 1911 census)

References:

References;

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
2. PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
3. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
6. 1901 census online
7. 1911 census online

Secondary Sources

1. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
2. Hyman, Louis “The Jews of Ireland from Earliest Times to the Year 1910” Shannon: Irish University Press, 1972
3. McGuire, J and Quinn, J, eds “Dictionary of Irish Biography” Cambridge: Cambidge University Press and Royal Irish Academy, 2009
4. Knox, W.J. “Decades of the Ulster Bank, 1836-1964” Belfast: Ulster Bank Ltd, 1965

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

A symmetrical single-storey two-bay gate lodge with gate screen in the neoclassical style; built c.1871 and located at the entrance of Bridge House. The lodge has recently been refurbished and a new modern extension added to the north side. The architectural detailing to the main block is largely intact and of good quality with a prominent central chimney typical of the style. Although it has been extended to the rear and side It remains a good example of its type. As the gate lodge to Bridge House (HB23/15/004A) it has group value and the fine sandstone gate screen is also of interest.

General comments

This record has been renumbered - formerly HB23/15/005.