Gates at Ardara House, 11 Ballygowan Road, Comber, Co. Down, BT23 5PG

The gates at Ardara House, located at 11 Ballygowan Road, Comber, County Down, are a curved cast iron gate screen likely dating to between 1871 and 1872. They originally fronted the main entrance to Ardara House and possess group value with the main house.

The screen, constructed in kit form with bolted sections, features spear-headed railings and a ‘pierced frieze’ at the base. It is flanked by two square cast iron posts with decorative side panels, an ogee top with finial, and curving sweeps that terminate in similar posts on either side. The railings largely match the gates and are set on a rendered base. The gates are marked with the name of the manufacturer, ‘Musgrave Belfast’.

The screen was relocated around 1988 when the original main drive was removed due to housing development. It is now situated halfway along what was once the ‘tradesman’s entrance’ to the south. While slightly damaged, probably due to the relocation process, the gates retain considerable architectural interest due to their style, proportions, and ornamentation. These are attributed to Musgrave of Belfast, a local foundry. Historical records, including correspondence from Thomas Andrews (1871-72), Ordnance Survey maps (1901), and a sales brochure (circa 1988), document the gates’ history.