Gates

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two pairs of gates serving the entrances to the grounds of Comber Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church. One set is to the S side of Mill Street fronting a lane for pedestrians, the other set is to the N end of the vehicle entrance to the N of High Street.

The vehicle entrance gate screen is to the S of the manse. It consists of two square sandstone pillars with pyramidal caps with cast iron gates between. The gates have decorative headed ‘railings’ but are otherwise relatively plain. To either side of the gate pillars is are short curving stretches of fairly low rubble built walling, mainly harled.

The pedestrian gate screen has two square sandstone pillars with rusticated blocks. These rest on tall bases and have curved caps with dentills below. Either side of the pillars is a short stretch of rusticated (square joint) sandstone walling. The pillars support decorative cast iron gates, similar to those to the vehicle entrance but of a slightly more complex design.

Attached to the caps of the pillars is a wrought iron arch with central lantern globe. This globe appears to have held an electric light bulb until recently, but the cable to it has been cut and no light bulb is in place. The globe is capped with a small cast iron crown.

Steps to ‘inner’ side of gate screen, with step below gate noticeably worn to one side.

Historical information

These gate screens appear to date from the late 19th century, with that to the vehicle entrance probably the older of the two.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI MIC/1B/1 Records of Comber Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church 1838-1971.
2 PRONI OS/2/3/10 OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.

Secondary sources
1 Sydney Andrews (ed. John Burls), ‘Nine Generations- A History of the Andrews Family, Millers of Comber’ (Isaac Andrews & Sons, 1958).
2 Norman Nevin ‘The Story of Comber’ (c.1980s) [typescript in Comber library].

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two, probably late 19th century, gate screens leading serving Comber Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church. The screen to the north fronts a pedestrian entrance off Mill Street and has rusticated pillars, decorative cast iron gates and a wrought iron arch over with lantern globe. That to the south serves a vehicle entrance with two squared sandstone pillars and cast iron gates. Group value with the church, manse, and hall.