Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/13/021

Address :
Gate Lodge Stormont Estate Massey Avenue Belfast County Antrim BT4 3XX

Townland:
Killeen

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
13/03/1987 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Gates/ Screens/ Lodges

Former Use
Gates/ Screens/ Lodges

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-16

IG Ref:
J3977 7481

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached two-storey stone gate lodge and secondary gate screen to Stormont Estate, built c.1932, to the designs of Arnold Thornely. The large gate screen is laid out on an north-south axis fronting onto Massey Avenue. The gate lodge is located behind the curved section to the south with its front elevation facing north onto the avenue. Gate Lodge: Pyramidal roof with original gauged slate and rolled leaded ridges all surmounted by a stepped Portland limestone ashlar chimney having clay pots. Blocking course to eaves and lead-lined drip cornice framing the upper storey. Smooth Portland limestone ashlar walling with continuous cornices over each floor and shallow corner pilasters. Square-headed window openings with shallow recessed surrounds, original steel casement windows throughout with original lead cames and retaining some bronze mechanisms. Symmetrical north front elevation is two windows wide with a central shallow breakfront having a square-headed door opening executed in Portland limestone with architrave and scrolled console brackets supporting a hood cornice and housing an original oak door with raised-and-fielded panels and two incorporated lights. Door opens onto concrete paved footpath and ramp within lawn. Symmetrical east side elevation has a single window to the ground floor set in a shallow breakfront. Rear south elevation is three bays wide and abutted at ground floor level by a tall semi-circular limestone ashlar wall enclosing a small rear yard. Symmetrical west side elevation has two windows to the first floor and a shallow bay window to the ground level with three windows each flanked by shallow pilasters. Entrance screen: Symmetrically arranged elaborate entrance screen comprised of central vehicular entrance gates supported on a pair of tall Portland limestone ashlar piers, flanked by pair of pedestrian entrance gate screens. Curved sections of cast-iron railings on limestone ashlar plinth wall extend to either side, interrupted by cast-iron piers having urn finials. Highly decorative cast-iron gates are surmounted by anthemion finials with gilded details. The central piers are surmounted by full Greek Doric entablatures, antefixae and urns. The pedestrian entrances are framed to either end by further stone piers, embellished with elaborate carved panels, antefixae and decorative cast-iron lamps. Setting: Fronting onto Massey Avenue with a bitmac footpath and set down area. Entrance gates open onto a bitmac avenue approaching Stormont Parliament from the west. Roof Natural slate RWG None Walling Portland limestone ashlar Windows Steel casement

Architects

Historical Information

The two-storey gate lodge at the Massey Avenue entrance to the Stormont Estate was constructed in c. 1932 and is identical to the lodge (see HB26/13/020) at the Upper Newtownards Road entrance. Both buildings were designed by Arnold Thornely (1870-1953), a Liverpool-based architect who was appointed by the Board of Works to carry out the design of Parliament Buildings. Thornely was not only responsible for the four-storey parliament but also for all the gateways and gate lodges, as well as the former Provincial Bank on Massey Avenue (see HB26/13/010). Gallagher states that Thornely’s layout of the buildings and grounds at Stormont ‘represent one of the most outstanding architectural sights in Ireland … the magnificent processional avenue, lined with lime and yew trees, leads the visitor from the main gates, past the statue of Lord Carson, to the foot of the famous ‘sixty steps’ of Parliament Buildings (DIA; Gallagher, p. 76). Parliament Buildings was officially opened by the Prince of Wales on 16th November 1932 and the gate lodges were completed by this time. The Natural Stone Database records that Thornely employed Portland Limestone as the primary material in the masonry of the lodge. The First Revaluation of 1935 originally set the value of the Massey Avenue gate lodge at £200, however following the Second World War this was substantially lowered to £73 under the Second Revaluation (1956-72). The Massey Avenue gate lodge was listed in 1987. The NIEA HB Records note that a refurbishment of the gate lodge and screen was carried out in 1997; in that year the original gate screen was repaired and the granite plinths of the gate screen restored. Dean described the gate lodge as a ‘two-storey cube lodge [with] very steep pyramidal roof finished in Westmoreland green slates rising to a central chimney stack … square leaded lights to windows. Ground floor openings between pilasters, the avenue elevation has a ground floor breakfront containing the entablatured front door.’ The gate screen at the Massey Avenue entrance is similar to that at the Upper Newtownards Road gate lodge but to a reduced extent (Dean, p. 89). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/5/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938-39) 2. PRONI VAL/3/B/4/4 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1935) 3. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/21 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1956-1972) 4. First Survey Record – HB26/13/021 (1985) 5. First Survey Image – HB26/13/021 (No Date) 6. NIEA HB Records – HB26/13/021 Secondary Sources 1. ‘Parliament Buildings Stormont: The building, its setting, uses and restoration 1922-1998’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999. 2. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994. 3. Gallagher, J., ‘Stormont: The house on the hill’ Belfast: Booklink, 2008. 4. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987. Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie 2. Natural Stone Database - http://www.stonedatabase.com//stone_types.cfm?stc=45]'

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

Z. Rarity V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest T. Historic Importance R. Age S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Detached two-storey stone gate lodge and secondary gate screen to Stormont Estate, built c.1932, to the designs of Arnold Thornely. Retaining most of its original materials and detailing, this gate screen and lodge are fine example of the early to mid twentieth-century craftsmanship and use of classical architectural devices. As part of the Stormont Estate it has group value with the other listed structures within the Estate. This entrance forms an important component part continuing the architectural style and materials of Stormont Parliament Building,

General Comments

Date of Survey

23 January 2014