Gate Screen, Gilford Castle, 5 Banbridge Road, Gilford, Co Down, BT63 6DJ

An early twentieth-century gate screen located at the main (north) entrance to Gilford Castle estate (HB17/01/002A-E), on the Banbridge Road east of Gilford. The screen comprises large finely dressed sandstone gate piers over plinth, with stone cut back slightly to corners; caps are corniced and gableted to each side, each north facing gablet inset with the letter 'C' on a stone plaque. Piers are topped by a polygonal pedestal supporting the bases of lamp standards (former gas lamps). To the rear of each pier a ladder gives access to the lamps. The piers support fixed cast- and wrought-iron iron rails with curlicues and spear head finials, and matching gates are hung on cast iron framework piers (cross-shaped on plan) topped with curlicues and additional lamp bases. The screen is flanked by convex walls, roughcast rendered, with stone plinth and ramped coping; beyond the entrance, estate walls are coursed rubble blackstone with stone soldier coping. Setting Roadside location, with parkland setting stretching to south. Piers: Sandstone Gates: Cast and wrought iron