I have received an interesting message and photographs from a reader who visited the site adjacent to the former swimming-pool at Mount Stewart estate recently:-
"There is a long pond running along the inland side and the floor of the building is under water, making me wonder if it wasn't some sort of boat house, but there were no doors big enough to support this theory."
"I was able to get a look in through a window this time and was amazed to see a vaulted ceiling with quite good brickwork. Upon exploring the other end I found what was left of some ornate stonework."
"I am now drawn to the conclusion that it might have been some sort of "Ice House", and that the stairs and stone columns may have been added at a later time than the original building, turning it into some sort of summer house with views over the lough."
"As if this wasn't enough, I also spotted another building that was built on stilts at the most northerly corner of this strip of land."
"However this one had a more military look about it. It was built of red brick and looked like some sort of observation platform, perhaps related to Ards airfield or something. But it just adds another bit of interest to this area for me."
"I would be most grateful if you could use a few of your contacts to find an answer to the mystery buildings for me."
"There is a long pond running along the inland side and the floor of the building is under water, making me wonder if it wasn't some sort of boat house, but there were no doors big enough to support this theory."
"I was able to get a look in through a window this time and was amazed to see a vaulted ceiling with quite good brickwork. Upon exploring the other end I found what was left of some ornate stonework."
"I am now drawn to the conclusion that it might have been some sort of "Ice House", and that the stairs and stone columns may have been added at a later time than the original building, turning it into some sort of summer house with views over the lough."
"As if this wasn't enough, I also spotted another building that was built on stilts at the most northerly corner of this strip of land."
"However this one had a more military look about it. It was built of red brick and looked like some sort of observation platform, perhaps related to Ards airfield or something. But it just adds another bit of interest to this area for me."
"I would be most grateful if you could use a few of your contacts to find an answer to the mystery buildings for me."
To us that has long been known as the GAS WORKS may have to do with heating?????
ReplyDeleteYes Lord Belmont you are correct in thinking that the red brick building on stilts at the Northern corner of the coastal path is of Military significance , it is in fact a WW2 Bombing Quadrant observation tower used to monitor practice bombing on the lough, there is the exact same stilted structure still to be found at Moore's Point , two miles South of Killyleagh
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