Mission Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A small single storey 1 room mission hall or church, slated roof and gabled and 2 no. small projecting porches.

The North side has a shallow projecting porch with sheeted door and corrugated iron lean-to roof: On either side there is a single square sash window of 4 panes. At the S W end a lean-to projection, without windows, corrugated iron roof tucked in under main eaves. On its east side an entrance door, sheeted with sheeted/shuttered sidescreen.

The east gable is plain without windows, no barges, the smooth rendering finishes against the slated edge.

The south side has 4 no. square sliding sash windows of 4 pane, windows evenly spaced along wall. The north side or gable is plain without window.

All walls are smooth rendered, unpainted. The main roof has natural slates, no chimneys, and ½ round metal gutter with single downpipe on each long wall.

Close to the south side flows a small burn or stream and on the North side a laneway (former road). The building is sited in a secluded spot near to the Hollow Bridge (HB02-04-018) and a former scutching mill (HB02-04-008).

Historical information

The mission hall is a former school and prior to the realignment of Altmover Road was at the verge of the former road. A school was established here in 1819 supported by Kildare Street Society and called Drum. The Rev. William McHinch, 1st Presbyterian Minister in Dungiven, in his application to the Commissioners of Education for aid towards teacher’s salary and books stated that the school was established in1828 in continuance of an old school formed under the Kildare Place Society. The school consisting of one classroom was reopened on 1st July 1844 after being vacant for a long time. A new floor was fitted, reglazing was carried out, the roof was partially repaired and the building was whitewashed. This was probably the beginning of the school as a National School. It was referred to as Ballyhargan National School (ref. District No. 3 Register No. 4145). It was commonly referred to as the Hollow School being at the lower end of Altmover Glen. The Dungiven Annual ‘Benbradagh’ No. 19 has a lengthy article on the Hollow School by Lily Young.

William Osborne was patron of the school in 1844, followed by his son and later in 1920 by the father of the present owner. William Osborne lived nearby in Ballyharigan House now called Altmover House.

The school ceased in 1923 when the pupils moved to Dungiven No. 2 Primary School (now the Ogilby Hall). The next owner established a mission hall in the old school and renovated it adding the present porches. Thomas Fallows composed a poem on The Old Hollow School (see Benbradagh No. 19) The first verse goes

Oh, what would we give for the days that are gone,
Those old rustic scenes which we hovered along,
Through hot days of summer and winter days cool
We wended our way to the Old Hollow School.

Primary Sources
1. O S map 1st Edition 1832 Londonderry sheet no 24
2. O S map 1st Revision 1856 Londonderry sheet no 24
3. Owner 30/07/1999

Secondary Sources
1. O S Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry, VII, 1834-5 Vol. 25 P. 25
2. Benbradagh No. 19 Art. By Lily Young, The Hollow School p.7.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An interesting example of an early single classroom school established by the Kildare Place Society and later taken over by the National Board of Education. It is a simple building which has survived in its simplicity and been adapted to a new use as a mission hall with little change to its outward and inner form. It is a very basic building but illustrates the adaptability of its structure. It makes an important social contibution to the local community and lis of local historical imprtance.