Gate lodge to former Ballybeen House, [40] Hillsborough Road, Ballybeen, Comber, Co. Down, BT23 5PW

This is a single-storey Classical gate lodge, constructed around 1840, originally serving the drive to the now-demolished Ballybeen House, located on the south side of Hillsborough Road, approximately 2.5 miles west of Comber. The symmetrical front (west) facade features a small portico with two Tuscan columns supporting a frieze, cornice, and blocking course with a central panel. Pilasters are present at the rear of the portico. A segmental arch-headed doorway, fitted with a glazed and panelled door containing numerous small panes, is situated within the portico. Large, segmental arch-headed windows flank the doorway, also with a casement-style frame and matching glazing. Above each window is a moulded panel featuring double festoons or swags. Identical windows are found on the north and south facades. A substantial modern extension with a shallow mono-pitched roof is attached to the rear, featuring modern windows and a panelled door on the north face. The original facade is finished in lined render, painted, and topped with a cornice and parapet resting on a shallow base. The original section of the lodge displays a hipped roof covered in Bangor blue slate, with a central rendered chimney stack. A large Velux window is visible on the south face of the roof, and some of the roof goods are PVC.

The lodge was built to serve the main drive to Ballybeen House, likely between 1834 and 1858, potentially closer to the earlier date. The rear extension was added more recently, possibly in the 1950s or 1960s. Ballybeen House itself was a large residence originally associated with the Birch family, possibly built in the mid to late 1700s and initially named 'Birch Hall'. It was destroyed by fire in the early 20th century. The gate lodge possesses architectural interest due to its style, proportions, and ornamentation. Alterations, particularly the rear extension, detract from the original building, but it retains group value in relation to the wider landscape. The listing covers only the original gate lodge structure, excluding the rear extension.