Walled Garden, Gilford Castle Estate, 5 Banbridge Road, Gilford, Co Down, BT63 6DJ

A large walled garden dating from c.1870 and located on the east of the Gilford Castle demesne, some distance from the house. The garden is rectangular, comprising an enclosure of high red brick walls laid in English Garden wall bond, to north-west, north-east and south-east. Overhanging brick coping, shallowly ramped in parts, with stone ball finials to north-west and south-west corners. The south-west elevation contains the main garden entrance, and high spear-headed cast-iron railings are fixed to a lower brick plinth wall. The entrance gate is timber, stop-end chamfered lattice to lower portion, with a series of timber uprights to upper portion, and bronze knob. It is set within a tooled ashlar masonry surround with pole moulding. To north-east side, there is a wide rectangular opening with brick lintel, infilled with a modern gate. Beyond the gate, outside the main enclosure, is the remains of a lean-to glasshouse, south facing with ancillary range to rear containing potting sheds and a boiler house (boiler in situ). It has a lean-to slate roof, brick walling, tall brick chimney and timber sheeted doors. Remains of timber window frames. Internally, the garden has a south-facing sloping aspect, and is bisected on each axis by a path. Southern portion is given over to orchards, with supporting structure for fruit trees secured on slender cast iron piers with knobs. To north east is the remains of ornamental planting. Setting The walled garden is set in the demesne, located some distance from the house and accessed from it via two unpaved avenues through mature woodland. Walling: Red brick with stone detailing, wrought iron railings.