Portumna Heritage Trail

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6. Gate Lodge & Gates

The entrance to Portumna Castle and demesne at the head of Old Main Street is approached through a gate sweep with curved flanking, limestone walls with stonework in irregularly-shaped lozenges.

The gateway, dating from the 1860s, is comprised of decorative cast-iron railings on moulded limestone plinths, set between ashlar piers with chamfered corners and pointed caps.

The matching cast-iron gates are part of a group of four formal gateways associated with the Portumna Castle complex. Immediately inside the entrance is a single-storey cut-stone gate lodge which controls the entrance to the Castle and is a good example of Gothic and Tudor Revival architecture.

Gate Lodge

Description

Detached three-bay single-storey former gate lodge, built c.1860, now in use as house. Pitched slate roof with red brick and dressed limestone chimneystack with half-hexagon plan ends and chamfered limestone plinth, cut limestone copings and eaves course, terracotta ridge crestings, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Reticulated dressed limestone walls. Square-headed window openings with chamfered limestone reveals, sloping stone sills, block-and-start surrounds, carved label-mouldings and triple-light timber casement windows with Tudor arch top panes. Pointed arch door opening with carved chamfered surround, hood-moulding, timber battened door, and limestone step and threshold. Entrance gates to east side at head of avenue leading to former farm courtyard of Castle.

Appraisal

This simple yet well designed gate lodge formerly controlled the main entrance gates leading to the farm courtyard and demesne of Portumna Castle. It is a good example of Gothic and Tudor Revival architecture with pointed openings and mouldings. The unusual stonework, which is cut in irregular lozenge shapes, matches the flanking walls of the associated gate sweep. It forms part of an important group with the adjacent gate lodges, gates and other garden features, all part of the demesne of Portumna Castle.

Gates

Description

Gateway, built c.1860, at head of avenue leading to farm courtyard of Portumna Castle. Comprising decorative cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lys heads on moulded limestone plinths, set between square-profile ashlar limestone piers with chamfered corners, moulded string course to shaft, moulded bases, and pointed caps. Similar cast-iron double-leaf gates. Flanked by curving dressed limestone wing walls with cut-stone pointed coping stones. Cast-iron spearhead railings on reticulated dressed limestone plinth with tooled ashlar coping to south-east. Three-bay single-storey gate lodge inside gateway.

Appraisal

These gates show skilled craftsmanship and are part of a group of four formal gateways that mark the entrances associated with Portumna Castle. The combination of dressed and ashlar limestone and decorative cast-iron lends an architectural quality to the gateway, making this an important feature of the streetscape.