186 Coast Road, Cairndhu, Ballygalley, Larne, Co Antrim, BT40 2QG

A gate lodge of late Victorian date, built in 1897–98 by architect Samuel P. Close for John Stewart Clark as the front entrance lodge to his residence, Cairndhu. The building stands in an isolated rural setting close to the Antrim Coast Road, with views over the sea and set against mature trees.

The lodge is built of snecked sandstone rubble with ashlar stone quoins and dressings. It is asymmetrical in plan, partly single storey and partly one and a half storey in height. The roofs are steeply gabled, covered in green slates with terracotta ridges, shaped timber barges, ornamental timber finials, and exposed rafter ends. The design follows a domestic Gothic idiom with pointed relieving arches over windows.

The main entrance faces west and is enclosed in a hipped roof open porch supported on chamfered wooden posts with open lattice-work timber balustrading to each side. The door has been removed as a result of vandalism, and slates are missing from the porch roof. To the left of the porch, an end gable contains a semi-circular bay window with semi-circular slated roof. Three rectangular windows with vertically hung timber sliding sashes (1 over 1, with horns) have curved frames and glass. To the right of the entrance is a two-storey projecting gable alongside a central chimney of dressed sandstone with moulded cornice and battered cap. Windows in this gable are rectangular timber sashes surmounted by two-centre relieving arches. To the right of the gable is a low link block connecting to a single storey gabled block, with visible damage to the roofs. The east or rear elevation, facing the public road, is of similar style and character to the entrance front. A flat roof with ventilator, presumably built over a small former yard, represents a later insertion behind a stone wall linking the single and double storey gabled blocks.

The building has been subjected to vandalism and is now in a partially derelict state, with roofing materials removed and windows broken.

The gateway comprises a pair of large stone piers of square section with weatherings to pyramidal caps, flanked by smaller stone piers. These are connected to low circular sweep walls punctuated by yet smaller stone piers and terminated with dwarf piers. The main carriageway gates are modern timber construction of lattice pattern, though only one of the original pedestrian gates survives, in decaying condition. This original gate is of chamfered lattice-work pattern with decorative wrought-iron grille-work. The sweep walls were originally mounted with railings of timber and wrought-iron work in similar style to the gates, but these are now missing.

The lodge provides a fitting architectural introduction to the main house and contributes to the scenic qualities of the Antrim Coast Road.