The Keepers Lodge, Mussenden Road, Castlerock, Co. Londonderry, BT51 4RP

Detached symmetrical three-bay one-and-a-half-storey stone former game-keeper’s house, built c.1885, with gabled breakfront. Extensively renovated and extended to the rear with portico added c.1987. Located on the north side of Mussenden Road within its own landscaped grounds to the east of Downhill House (HB03/12/015A) and Bishop’s Gate (HB03/12/015F). Hipped natural slate roof with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles and pair of redbrick chimneystacks with octagonal clay pots. A single wall-head dormer added to both side elevations and a further two to the rear elevation, added c.1987. Cast-iron guttering on redbrick eaves course and cast-iron downpipes. Random coursed and snecked rubble basalt walling with squared basalt quoins. Gauged redbrick flat-arched window openings with painted masonry sills and replacement 6/6 timber sash windows with part-exposed sash boxes. Symmetrical front elevation is four windows wide with a gabled shallow entrance breakfront abutted by later entrance portico. Oculus to the attic level of breakfront formed in redbrick with circular window having leaded coloured glazing. Two window openings to either side of breakfront are set into shallow round-arched recesses having gauged redbrick arches connected by painted masonry impost courses. Replacement square-headed door opening formed in redbrick with replacement timber panelled and glazed door opening onto terracotta tiled platform and three steps sheltered by timber sheeted gable-fronted canopy supported on pair of masonry Doric columns. West side elevation has an off-centre window opening to the ground floor with gauged redbrick head and replacement multi-pane timber casement window. Wall-head dormer is centrally placed with timber sheeting and timber casement window dropping below eaves level. Rear elevation abutted by multi-bay one-and-a-half-storey stone extension, added c.1987, built in rubble basalt and detailed as per original block with timber oriel window to the rear gable and timber conservatory abutting the re-entrant angle to the east. East side elevation as per west side elevation having a 6/6 timber sash window to the ground floor only. Setting Located on the north side of Mussenden Road accessed via long winding cobblelock drive through mature landscaped gardens enclosed to the road by rubble basalt walls with stacked coping. Cobblelock encircles house with a further detached stone structure to the rear. Roof Natural slate RWG Cast-iron Walling Random coursed and snecked basalt Windows Replacement timber sash / timber casement