Gates at Ardilea House, 8 Ardilea Road, Ardilea, Clough, Downpatrick, BT 30 8SL

Gates at Ardilea House

A relatively simple double gate screen of approximately the 1840s, comprising wrought iron gates and octagonal granite pillars. The gates are located at the end of the drive to the south of Ardilea House on Ardilea Road, roughly a mile south-south-east of the village of Clough. They are approached via a stone bridge, possibly dating to the early 19th century, which spans an inlet to the south.

The gates and railings stand approximately 1.5 metres high. The railings are wrought iron with restrained spearhead decoration featuring curls. The granite gate posts are octagonal in section, topped with octagonal pyramidal caps and moulded courses. Two similar outer posts flank the main gates.

To the immediate west stands a set of simple wrought iron farm gates with matching gateposts, fronting a separate drive heading westward. The northern gatepost is shared between the house gates and the farm gates.

This entire gate screen was probably erected around 1840 to serve two drives serving the newly built Ardilea House. Before this time, there had been only one drive serving the older residence to the east, which still stands. The 1840s house was demolished in the mid-twentieth century (approximately 1965), and confusingly, its name was subsequently adopted by the older building to the east. The main drive now serves this latter property, while the drive with the farm gate serves a large recently built dwelling located on the site of the original 1840s Ardilea House.

The gate screen has group value with Ardilea House. The farm gate probably originally served as a tradesman's entrance.