Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey Swiss chalet style gate lodge (with attic) of probable pre 1834 construction, but greatly extended c.1983. The property is set at the entrance to the Portaferry Demesne, at the west end of The Strand, on a slight slope overlooking Strangford Lough.

Left of centre plain timber sheeted front door. Large multi pane modern timber window to left of door with small top hung upper opener. Two similar windows to right of door, but with one nearest door smaller. Concrete cills. Small six pane timber attic window directly above door, with roof raised and hipped above window.

West gable has two ground floor windows similar to ground floor of front (south) elevation with the window to the left slightly smaller. Small attic window similar to previous attic window.

East facade has off centre plain sheeted timber door with two timber windows on each side and an attic window all similar to before, though ground floor windows are somewhat shorter and set at a higher level.

Rear N elevation has small timber window to eaves.

The building is finished in plain render and painted.

Bangor blue slate roof, with large overhang at eaves and gables. The roof pitch is eccentric with longer side to the rear. Decorative barge boards. Off centre rendered chimney with paired square stacks set at an angle on largely plain base. No gutters or down spouts.

To the SE of the gate lodge is a simple gate screen with wrought iron spear head railings and simple metal gate posts (which look like modern replacements).

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1860, marked ‘Lodge’ and 'Gate Lodge' respectively, and recorded in the 1838 valuation as an old single storey building in good condition. This is probably the same house we see today, however, judging from its picturesque appearance, the façade may have been remodelled during the late Victorian/Edwardian period.

The property was greatly extended in 1983 when a new portion was added to the south end (almost doubling the size of the building in the process).

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
2 PRONI VAL/1B/36 1st valuation, Ardquin, c.1838
3 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1861 [In print.]
4 PRONI VAL/12E/112/1- Valuation maps of Portaferry, c.1861,Parish of Ardquin, with revisions of 1902
5 PRONI OS/8/23/3 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1900
6 PRONI VAL/12E/112/2- Valuation town plan of Portaferry, 1902, with revisions of 1935

Secondary sources
1 G. Philip Bell, C.E.B. Brett, Sir Robert Matthew, 'Ulster Architectural Heritage Survey: Portaferry & Strangford'
(Belfast UAHS 1969)
2 PRONI Portaferry: Sources for Local History (PRONI ?1970s)
3 J.A.K. Dean, ‘The Gatelodges of Ulster- A Gazetteer’ (Belfast UAHS, 1994), p.89

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Single storey Swiss chalet style gate lodge (with attic), of possible pre 1834 origin, possibly remodelled in the late Victorian period and greatly extended and altered in 1983.