Clay Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Distinctive single storey ‘toy fort’ Gothick gate lodge of c.1810 at the SE entrance of the Mount Stewart estate, extended at the rear in recent years. The building is set on the north side of the Portaferry Road roughly 2 miles NW of Greyabbey.

The visible section of the roof is pitched with mineral fibre slates at its lower ends but flat and lead sheeted at the ‘apex’. Cast iron rw goods.

Front S elevation is symmetrical and constructed in random, oddly shaped, basalt rubble with a pinnacled parapet and walls curving up to meet the E and W sides. This elevation has two marginally projecting outer bays, each with a pointed arch windows with casement frame with tracery to arch head. Each outer bay is topped with a parapet with two tall pyramidal pinnacles. The central bay has a central pointed arch door opening with plain sheeted timber door and tracery to pointed arch fanlight (similar to windows). Both door and windows have plain stone surrounds.

To the left on the E facade is a section similar to that on the right of the W facade, with similarly placed rendered chimney stack, however, this section now has a small lean to extension. The section of the facade to the right of this appears to have been altered and extended and now has a modern glazed door and several small window openings (as W facade).

The W facade looks as though it has been extended. To the left hand side is a long rubble built section with a roof which is pitched and slated to begin with but flat and lead sheeted at the apex. To the far left of this section is a broad casement window, with two smaller sash window further to the right. Part of the facade surrounding the broad window to the far left has been rendered. The section of the facade to the far right appears largely original and has a small sash window and a parapet, with pinnacle (as front), which hides the roof. A rendered chimney now rises out of the parapet (directly to the left of the pinnacle) and part of the facade directly beneath the stack has been patched in modern brick.

Curving rubble estate walls adjoin the E and W sides of this lodge.

Historical information

This lodge appears to be contemporary with the other Gothick lodges within the Mount Stewart estate, all of which probably date from c.1810. It is shown on the OS Map of 1834. The building appears to have been extended and refurbished in recent times.

For more historical information on the Mount Stewart estate and the Londonderrys see ref. HB24/04/052.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.654 Londonderry Papers. [There do not appear to be any particular
references concerning the Mount Stewart gate lodges however the following sections could prove of particular interest are sections D.654/H1/1-7 (estate accounts 1781-1864), H/2/1-8 (estate ledgers 1781-1864) and M71 (estate maps). Section N2/24 also contains letters written by the 3rd Marquesses agent, John Andrews, concerning the demesne)]
2 PRONI OS/6/3/11/1 OS maps, Down 11, 1834
3 PRONI VAL/1B/33 First valuation, c.1834-38
4 PRONI VAL/2B/3/4 Second valuation, Greyabbey, c.1859
5 PRONI OS/6/3/11/2 OS maps, Down 11, 1860
6 PRONI VAL/12B/23/16a-f Annual valuation revision books, Greyabbey, 1866-1930

Secondary sources
1 J.A.K. Dean, 'The Gate lodges of Ulster- a gazetteer' (Belfast, 1994), p.85
2 G.C. Taylor, "Mount Stewart County Down I & II" in 'Country Life', Vol.LXXVIII, No.2020, 5 & 12 October 1935
3 'Archaeological Survey of County Down' (Belfast, 1966), pp.374-376
4 Gervase Jackson-Stops, "Mount Stewart Co. Down Parts 1 & 2" in 'Country Life', 6 & 13 March 1980
5 'Mount Stewart' (National Trust, 1986)
6 Patrick Bowe 'The gardens of Ireland', pp.163-73
7 Anne Casement 'Mount Stewart landscape study' (National Trust Northern Ireland Region, 1995)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Single storey Gothick gate lodge of c.1810 with rubble built, pinnacled, 'toy fort' front facade. This building is somewhat extended and modernised at the rear in recent times.