Gate Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical single-storey brick gate lodge, built c.1938, to the designs of Godfrey Ferguson. Located on an elevated site at the entrance to Clifton House (HB26/49/001A).

Pyramidal natural slate roof with slate ridges and a central brick chimneystack with clay pots. Roll moulded black clay ridge tiles to projecting front porch and moulded steel rainwater goods to modillioned eaves cornice. Machine-made redbrick walling laid in stretcher bond. Gauged brick square-headed window openings with moulded architrave surrounds and sills, and 6/6 timber sash windows with part exposed sash boxes.

Symmetrical front elevation abutted by central projecting entrance porch with the raking modillioned eaves cornice forming an open-bed pediment over the entrance. Gauged brick round-headed front door opening with a replacement timber panelled and glazed door and decorative webbed leaded fanlight. Slender window opening to both porch cheeks having 4/4 timber sash windows.

West side elevation is two windows wide.

Rear elevation is three windows wide with a square-headed door opening having a timber panelled and glazed door.

East side elevation as per west.

Setting

Set on a mature elevated site along the north side of the front avenue to Clifton House with a flight of concrete steps to a paved terrace fronted by redbrick walls and steel railings. The east side elevation overlooks North Queen Street.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Replacement steel
Walling Machine-made redbrick
Windows Timber sash

Historical information

The current Gate Lodge at the entrance to Clifton House (HB26/49/001A) was completed in 1938, to designs prepared by the architect Godfrey Ferguson.

First shown on the fifth edition OS map (1938), this building replaced an earlier ‘porter’s house’, which had existed on this site since the mid 19th century (second edition OS map 1858). Previous maps (1818, 1822, 1829-35) indicate there has been a long history of Gate Lodge buildings located at the entrance to the grounds of the Belfast Charitable Institution (now Clifton House HB26/49/001A). In 1791 the main entrance to the grounds was toward the southern boundary, aligned with the end of Donegall Street but by 1818 the map shows the main entrance was located in the current position (opposite what is now Frederick Street) and accessed by a flight of steps.

A Gate Lodge is shown on the first edition OS map (1829-35) and this building was listed at £15 13s 6d in Griffith’s Valuation (1859-60). However this entry was later removed from the valuations and the Gate Lodge included with that of the Belfast Charitable Institution. During this period, the ‘gatekeeper’ was listed as Mr. D. Whaly but there was no further reference to the lodge in the 19th century Street Directories (1868-87).

A drawing of the Institute and grounds, contained in the Belfast Revaluations (1900-02) depicts a small gate lodge building, with additions to the rear. This ‘porter lodge’ was occupied by James Goodall in 1902 (Street Directories). The current Neo Georgian style building was constructed to the designs of the Belfast architect Godfrey Ferguson, who also designed the dining hall and laundry building of Clifton House in 1887 and 1908, respectively (DIA). The new gate lodge building appears to have been unoccupied during the mid 20th century but the Street Directories show that it was occupied again by the mid 1950s. Repair work was carried out during the late 20th century and the building continues to function as a residence (HB File).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/1- First Edition OS Map (1829-35)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3- Second Edition OS Map (1858)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4- Third Edition OS Map (1901-2)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/7- Fifth Edition OS Map (1938)
5. PRONI T1541/4 James Williamson- Map of Belfast (1791)
6. PRONI T1541/5 Plan of the Town of Belfast (1818)
7. PRONI T1541/8 Plan of the Town of Belfast (1822)
8. PRONI VAL/7/B/4/7- Hand Drawn Plan of the Poor House (1900)
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/720/A - Townland Valuations (1830s)
10. PRONI VAL/2/B/7/2/G – Griffith’s Valuation (1859-60)
11. PRONI VAL/7/B/4/7 – Belfast Revaluations (1900-02)
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/B/19 - Annual Revisions (1906-15)
13. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/8 - First General Revaluation (1935)
14. The Ulster Street Directories (1806-1995)
15. HB File (HB26/49/001 B)

Secondary Sources

1. Benn, George “A History of the Town of Belfast- 1877” Blackstaff Press, Belfast 2008
2. Strain, R.W.M “Belfast and Its Charitable Society” Oxford University Press, London, 1961
3. Bardon, Jonathan “An Interesting & Honourable History: The Belfast Charitable Society, The First 250 Years, 1752-2002” Belfast Charitable Society, Belfast (2002)
4. Larmour, P “Belfast, An Illustrated Architectural Guide” 1987
5. Patton, Marcus “Central Belfast- An Historical Gazetteer” UAHS, Belfast (1993)
6. www.dia.ie - Dictionary of Irish Architects online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical single-storey brick gate lodge, built c.1938, to the designs of Godfrey Ferguson. Located on an elevated site at the entrance to Clifton House (HB26/49/001A). The scale and symmetry of this gate lodge lends a decorative element to the entrance to the grounds and adds to the setting of the main building. Much original fabric and detailing survive and it is an interesting exercise in Neo-classical style reflecting its location and by an architect of note. It forms part of an important group, both architecturally and historically.

General comments

Renumbered as part of a group. Formerly HB26/49/007.