Survey Data
Reg No
22117052
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical
Original Use
Gates/railings/walls
In Use As
Gates/railings/walls
Date
1830 - 1835
Coordinates
220092, 122292
Date Recorded
30/05/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced two-bay three-storey gate tower, dated 1831, with crenellated parapet, turret to northwest corner and pointed arch passageway to ground floor. Cut limestone crenellated parapet with carved limestone corbel table. Dressed coursed sandstone walls with dressed limestone quoins, having carved limestone date plaque to east elevation and recessed blind cross loop to west. Pointed-arch opening with dressed sandstone surrounds, voussoirs and hood-moulding to archway, with roughly dressed voussoirs above. Square-headed window openings with double pointed-headed timber fixed one-over-one pane windows with chamfered limestone surrounds and label-mouldings. Loop to west elevation. Chamfered cruciform and square-headed recessed panels. Square-headed blind loops to turret.
Appraisal
Built on the site of a medieval town gate, this Tudor Revival style structure makes a very imposing and notable feature on the streetscape. It occupies a prominent site, dividing the vistas from O'Connell Street and Irishtown. The gate mirrors the Main Guard, both terminating the ends of O'Connell Street. The structure offers variety of form, texture, materials and style to the streetscape and to the town. Notable features such as the crenellations, turret and label-mouldings enliven the façade of the structure. Said to have been erected on the initiative of a merchant named Joyce, another personality association is apparent from a stone plaque with a relief portrait of the writer Laurence Sterne inscribed 'Born in Clonmel, 24th November, 1713' on the west side of the gate.