Lion Gate Lodge, Downhill, Castlerock, Co. Londonderry

Pair of free-standing aediculated sandstone gate piers, erected c.1780, surmounted by pair of statues of lions and flanked by rubblestone screen walls. Designed by Michael Shanahan. Located along the north side of Mussenden Road as the principal entrance to Downhill Palace (HB03/12/015A) to the northeast and the walled garden and dove-cote to the north (HB03/12/015C). The front west elevation to each pier is built in pink sandstone ashlar and comprises a central niche with wave-moulded course to the base, fluted course at impost level and a rectangular panel over embellished with bell-flower festoons. Each niche is flanked by full-height quarter-engaged Doric columns on plinth bases with gadroon embellished capitals with fluted necks. The columns support an architrave, frieze and mutuled cornice. The frieze has bucrania linked by bell-flower garlands with corresponding guttae encroaching the architrave. Each crowning cornice is lead lined and supports a replacement statue of a lion holding a sphere (replaced c.2000) mounted on a rectangular base. The piers support a pair of wrought-iron gates with spear-head finials. The rear east elevation to each pier is also built in pink sandstone ashlar and comprises a shallow round-headed panel with vermiculated base and keystone flanked by full-height Doric pilasters having alternating smooth and vermiculated stonework on raised plinths. Each pair of pilasters support a full Doric entablature with triglyphs, paterae to the meotopes and surmounted by a mutuled crowning cornice. Each pier is flanked by a curved rubblestone screen wall with segmental-headed blind panels and concrete coping, that to the north having a pedestrian opening with voussoired basalt head and redbrick jambs. Setting Located along the north side of Mussenden Road with direct view of Downhill Palace (HB03/12/015A) and a front lawned area providing public access to both the palace and the walled garden via bitmac driveway. Roof None RWG None Walling Pink sandstone ashlar Windows None