Historical background:

Completed in the late-eighteenth century, this gate lodge and gateway were erected by Walter Lawrence as an entrance to his Bellevue estate. Known as the “Volunteer Gate,” it was created to commemorate the victory of the Volunteers who helped to win Free Trade for Ireland in 1782. In 1912, the Lawrence family left Bellevue and over time the house fell into dereliction and was later demolished. Bellevue Gate and adjoining gate lodges could also have succumbed to the ravishes of time but for the intervention of a local community group who had a vision to restore the historic structure. The Irish Georgian Society awarded €5,000 toward the conservation works in 2004 which assisted in the reinstatement of historically accurate timber sash windows in the North lodge.

Brief description of project:

This project included fitting new windows to existing frames and refurbishing or replacing the latter using original timbers as templates. The Society’s contributions to this worthwhile project covered twenty percent of the total costs. 

Having now been restored and secured, the gate lodges serve as a beautiful monument to Ireland’s rich and varied history. 

Architectural description:

The structure is composed of a triple-arched pedimented gateway of cut stone, with two flanking gate lodges of rubble stone. The gate lodges are each two bays wide with a central door and timber lintels to the interior elevation, while arched window frames are to the front façade. The ground floor windows are of six-over-six configuration and the first floor windows are a simple three-over-three sash design.