Ballygrooby Lodge, Shane's Street, Randalstown, Antrim, Co Antrim, BT41 4NA

Ballygrooby Lodge is a large and impressive stone-built Tudor-style complex comprising a grand arched gateway with flanking towers and screen walls, together with a single-storey gatelodge, all constructed in basalt with rhyolite dressings.

The main gateway faces north and features a substantial archway with label moulding and incised spandrels, surmounted by a crenellated parapet with a stepped centre containing a relief carved armorial crest. Heavy machicolation runs below the parapet and continues around a flanking octagonal pier on one side. A taller octagonal tower rises on the other side to an equivalent crenellated parapet, oversailing on a machicolated corbel course. Both tower and pier have rhyolite quoins to their angles, moulded rhyolite plinths, and battered basalt bases continuous from the archway. The tower contains arrow loop and slit windows, mostly with rhyolite block dressings and perforated brick within the slits; the pier has blind slits only set in basalt walling. A large iron bracket is attached to the tower to carry a lamp.

The archway itself contains a pair of large rectangular timber studded doors, each with 24 raised and chamfered panels. Each door has an iron or steel diagonal brace. Above the doors is an artificial timber portcullis consisting of an outer frame scribed to the arch curve, with seven vertical members bolted to three horizontal members and the frame; each upright has pyramidal shapes to its bottom end, and the central upright carries a flat metal plate to its lower part.

To the left of the octagonal tower extends a short flanking wall containing a single cusped-headed opening with hood mould in rhyolite block dressings. This wall has a projecting plinth and battered base continuous from the gateway and tower, with a lower crenellated parapet. It terminates in a square pier with crenellations projecting over a corbel course. Projecting forward from this pier is a long curved crenellated screen wall of coursed basalt, which terminates in a circular bartizan turret built of snecked basalt with crenellated parapet and blind arrow loops in rhyolite dressings. Moulded rhyolite corbel courses form the base of the turret. The boundary wall of the estate abuts this curved screen wall and turret, constructed in roughly coursed basalt rubble with tall and short basalt rock copings.

To the right of the octagonal pier extends a similar flanking wall containing a three-light cusped-headed rectangular window belonging to the lodge. The windows are arched timber sliding sashes, vertically sliding, 6 over 6 with horns, set in rhyolite tracery and block dressings with label mould and splayed cill. This flanking wall terminates in a square pier from which projects a crenellated curved screen wall similar to that on the left, terminating in a circular bartizan turret with new granite corbels to its base. The estate boundary wall abuts the curved screen wall below the level of the projecting plinth.

The rear elevation of the archway, octagonal pier, tower and flanking wall beyond the tower mirrors the entrance front elevation, except that the tower contains a Tudor-arched timber studded doorway in its base with eight chamfered and raised panels, set in rhyolite block dressings with label moulding. The rear elevation of the curved screen wall beyond the tower is built of roughly coursed basalt rubble with old recessed lime mortar pointing, surmounted by rhyolite copings and crenellations. Two outbuildings are built against this wall, constructed of basalt rubble walling with crude brick dressings to openings; one has a lean-to roof and the other a single pitch roof, both of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with sheeted timber doors.

The gatelodge is positioned to the rear of the flanking wall beyond the octagonal pier and is built up against it. It is a single-storey structure with a hipped roof behind a crenellated parapet, constructed of snecked basalt with rhyolite dressings and string courses, including a battered base. The main entrance faces east and is centrally positioned. The doorway is Tudor-arched and contains a rectangular timber studded door with twelve chamfered and raised panels, surmounted by a Tudor-arched 3-pane fanlight with studded timber rails and mullions in a chamfered timber frame, all set in rhyolite block dressings with label moulding and panelled spandrels. Modern tiles surround the doorstep. Above the doorway the crenellated parapet steps up to contain a relief carved armorial plaque. To each side of the entrance are two-light cusped-headed windows with similar detailing. A twin octagonal chimney stack in smooth cement render, lined, stands with two tall hexagonal pots.

The south elevation contains a three-light cusped-headed window of the same detailing, and a shorter lower wall set back to the left with a rectangular sashed window (6 over 6 with horns) in rhyolite block dressings. Extending to the left and set back slightly is a later addition with a hipped roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, smooth cement render walls painted, timber eaves board, and cast iron gutters and downpipes.

The rear or west elevation of the lodge shows the smooth rendered wall of the extension with its hipped slate roof, cast iron gutters and downpipes, and a PVC soil pipe. Four windows of modern rectangular timber with fixed lights and top-hung vents have projecting concrete cills. A modern rectangular flush timber door with glazed panel and concrete doorstep provides access. The north end of the extension has a blank rendered wall. A small lean-to outbuilding is attached to the extension, with slated roof and smooth rendered walls lined and blocked, containing a rectangular flush timber door and a fixed metal window with top-hung vent and projecting concrete cill. An open lean-to shelter of coarse timber construction with corrugated iron roof is attached to a modern gabled wooden garage.

The gateway and lodge stand near the edge of the town, facing the main road but set back with a stony forecourt in front. In the angles between the archway and screen walls are grassed areas bounded by plinth walls of rhyolite carrying stone bollards surmounted by iron ball finials connected by iron chains. The plinth wall to the left is low, while that to the right develops into a high retaining wall of squared random rubble due to ground slope toward the main road. A pair of cast iron lamp standards stands in front of the archway, flanking the driveway. The driveway beyond the archway is surfaced in concrete, with a concrete paved area across the front of the lodge and along its end; the driveway beyond is of tarmac with adjacent hardstanding. A stony path leads to the rear of the tower into a grassy area beyond the eastern screen wall. The area to the rear of the lodge is bounded by a modern timber fence, with thick bushes beyond leading to the river bank and railway viaduct. The estate boundary wall on the right extends to abut a railway viaduct.