Gateway, Castle Gardens, Lisburn, County Antrim

Red sandstone gateway, dated 1677, set within stretch of rubble stone wall, running on a north-south axis along the eastern boundary of Castle Gardens. All restored c.2007. Seventeenth-century archway to west elevation only with substantially replaced red sandstone elevation to the east, dated 1991. Squared and coursed red sandstone gateway with a three-centred arch c.2 metres deep. Pink lime mortar to stonework with roughly voussoired arch stones extending into the intrados of the deep arch. Moulded sandstone string course above arch with further platband above. The top of the gateway has a crenellated parapet with stepped embrasures, rounded merlons, finished with a decorative moulding and lead covering. Central merlon displays a carved date plaque ‘1677’. The random rubble stone wall steps in halfway forming a ledge to the west elevation, while the parapet is constructed in hand-made red brick, crenellated and lead covered as per the gateway. The east elevation has several full-height rubble stone buttresses. Walling Random rubble / Squared coursed red sandstone