Gates at Ardara House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Cast iron curving gate screen of c.1871-2 situated along the drive to Ardara House, to the W of the Ballygowan Road, SW of Comber town centre. This screen has been relocated. It once belonged to the original main entrance drive to Adara, a drive which disappeared (due to a housing development) in c.1988.

The screen is in cast iron with the component sections bolted together in kit form. The gates have railings, with spear-like heads, and a ‘pierced frieze’ to the base. They are enclosed by two square cast iron posts (constructed in the same kit form) with decorative (almost Art Nouveau looking) side panels, and a pierced ogee top with finial. Beyond these, either side of the screen has a curving sweep which culminates (at both sides) in another post as before. The spear-headed railings for the most part match the gates are set on a rendered base. The screen is damaged slightly in places, damage which may have occurred during the process of relocation.

The screen is stamped with the name of the manufacturer/foundry, ‘Musgrave Belfast’.

To the N side of this screen the ground is largely ‘open’ due to the building of several modern houses with their own drives.

Historical information

This gate screen is probably as old as the original section of Ardara House itself and therefore probably dates from 1871-2. It appears to have been manufactured by a Musgrave of Belfast. In c.1988 it was relocated when the original main drive to Ardara was removed due to a housing development, and it is now positioned half way along what was the ‘tradesman’s entrance’ to the south.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.4189/A/2/3 Andrews Papers- damp press letter book with letters from Thomas Andrews concerning Ardara, 1871-72.
2 PRONI OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.
3 Sale brochure for Ardara House (Brian Morton & Co., ?c.1988).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Curved, cast iron gate screen of perhaps c.1871, formerly fronting the main entrance to Ardara House, but relocated in c.1988 half way along what was once a secondary drive. Has group value with Ardara House.