Movanagher School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical freestanding single-storey former National School building, c.1845, located directly to the eastern side of Agivey Road, on an elevated site within a mature rural
setting. Comprising an H-shaped plan the central rectangular axis is flanked to each end by large gable fronted bays which advance to the front and rear; twin gable-fronted porch to centre. Single-storey, pitched-roof abutment to the south-east corner with a lean-to shed and a further outbuilding to the east (all are of little interest).

Steeply pitched slate roof with black/grey angled ridge tiles having finials to gable-ends; half-round cast iron rainwater goods (some areas of uPVC) on overhanging eaves with decorative timber bargeboards and fascia to main elevation, plain to remainder; two replacement brick chimneys with rendered bases and round clay pots. Walling is tooled uncoursed squared greystone with grey stone quoins; painted pebbledash to rear elevation; slightly projecting base course. 6/6 timber sashes to principal elevation; brick camber-headed arches and full brick surrounds; projecting stone sills (unless otherwise stated).

Symmetrical, west facing elevation has an advancing twin gable-fronted porch to centre with two narrow timber casements each having three-panes arranged vertically; right cheek contains window insertion with area below blocked up and painted (former doorway); left cheek has replacement half-glazed timber panelled entrance door surmounted by small transom. Porch flanked to each side by two windows; advancing gable-fronted end bays have central ground floor window and diminished attic window.

North elevation has a single casement window to right of centre; lower area is painted and full height quoins indicate this was a former doorway.

East elevation contains six timber casement windows to main axis, all having plain surrounds and flat-arched heads; similar central window to right gable-fronted bay; right of centre window to far left bay. Single storey abutment to left corner of no interest.

South elevation contains two timber casement windows with area below painted and blocked up (originally doorways).

Setting
Situated within a mature rural setting the building is located on an elevated site two miles north of Kilrea on the eastern side of the Agivey Road, with the River Bann to the west. Mature trees and hedgerows bound to the north, east and south; a wall of similar construction to the main building bounds the western edge having rounded concrete copings; three pairs of square piers with pyramidal sandstone caps support iron gates, with a pedestrian gate to the centre. Stone flags to immediate perimeter of building; gravel to outer perimeter with tarmac to the rear.

Roof: Slate
RWG: Cast-iron & uPVC
Walling: Squared, coursed & snecked stone
Windows: Timber sash & casement

Historical information

Constructed on a previously undeveloped site, the school is first shown on the second edition OS map (1849-53), captioned ‘Mercers’ School’ with a small outbuilding to the rear. The school-houses and garden are first listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1857-8) at a value of £7 5s and are the property of the Mercer’s Company. At this time the building was divided equally into two schools (male and female); each containing a front porch, a school-house and a teacher’s dwelling located to either side of the central classrooms. The Annual Revisions indicate that a playground had been added prior to 1864; in 1886 the teachers’ accommodation was listed separately at £1 10s each and by this time the school had become a National School (Annual Revisions 1881-95).

Captioned ‘Movanagher School’, OS maps (1849-1974) indicate little change to the form of the building during this time, apart from some rearrangement of outbuildings to the rear. Contemporary valuation records show that the teachers’ rooms were occupied until the mid 20th century (Annual Revisions 1890-95; First General Revaluation 1935-1955). By 1935 the school was listed as a ‘Public Elementary School’ and the Second General Revaluation notes that in 1957 it became a ‘Primary School’ with a canteen being incorporated in 1966.

A record for an Application for Grant-Aid, held at the Public Records Office (PRONI c1845-65) shows the building was recorded as being in a ‘good state of repair’ in 1852. The report also notes the presence of timber-boarded floors, a fireplace in each room, sash windows, plastered ceiling and walls, two blackboards and ‘excellent’ furniture. The teachers were listed as William Shaw and Letitia Brown and the number of pupils was noted at 93. In a report c1922-26 held at PRONI the condition of the building had deteriorated; a chimney was in need of repair and areas of plaster were missing from the ceiling in one of the classrooms.

The windows have undergone a number of replacements during the 20th century and the roof slates, structure and chimneys have recently undergone extensive repair and replacement. The building was disused during the 1970s but became a private residence during the 1980s.

The townland of Movanagher to the north of Kilrea, formed part of an estate, which had been under ownership of ‘The Worshipful Company of Mercers’ during the Plantation. The land was subsequently let to their associates from the mid seventeenth to the mid eighteenth centuries, many of whom where absentee landlords. The Mercers resumed direct management of the estate in 1831 following which a period of steady improvements where undertaken. This included the development of infrastructure and the provision of considerable funds toward education.

The school at Movanagher was established and maintained by the Mercers Company on an area of ‘neutral’ non-secular land, as recorded by a Grant Aid Application dated 1845-65. Minutes from the Mercers Company c1841 (Curl) show that William Barnes, pupil of George Smith and architect to the Mercers Company, was tasked with preparing plans for a new school at Movanagher. Barnes’ designs for the school appear to be derived by plans drawn up by the surveyor James Turnbull, who had designed previous schools for the Fishmongers’ and Grocers’ Companies. The first school to be built by the Mercers’ Company following 1831, the building was completed in 1843 at an approximated cost of £617 (Curl).

A quarry located nearby in Movanagher, was opened around 1780 and it is likely that the building stone for the school was sourced from this quarry (OS Memoirs). There were no other local sources of good building stone noted in the Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1840).

Curl (1986) notes that this Mercers school was one of the ‘most distinguished….of all such buildings in the County of Londonderry.' As architect of the Mercers Company, a number of significant buildings within Kilrea were constructed to his designs, including St Patrick’s Church (HB03/01/001) and the First Presbyterian Church (HB03/01/003) (OS Memoirs).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/19/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1831-32)
2. PRONI OS/6/5/19/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1849-53)
3. PRONI OS/6/5/19/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1903-04)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/19/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1924-27)
5. PRONI OS/10/5/19/14/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1924)
6. PRONI OS/11/41/8/1 – Eleven Inch OS map (1974)

7. PRONI ED/1/26/126 – School Grant Aid Applications (1845-65)
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/35 – Griffith’s Valuation (1857)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3A – Annual Revisions (1864)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3B – Annual Revisions (1864-80)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3C – Annual Revisions (1881-89)
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2D – Annual Revisions (1890-95)
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2E – Annual Revisions (1896-1910)
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2F – Annual Revisions (1911-29)
15. PRONI ED/14/E/79 – School Report (1922-26)
16. PRONI VAL/3/E/5/2A – First General Revaluations (1935-55)
17. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/5 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72)

18. Ulster Town Directories (1901-43)
19. HB File (HB03/01/027)

Secondary Sources

1. Lewis, Samuel ‘A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ S. Lewis & Co, London (1837)
2. Parishes of Co. Londonderry, VIII [Vol. 27] - Desertoghill, Errigal, Killelagh and Kilrea [1994] Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast (1994)
3. Curl, James.S. ‘The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914’ Phillimore & Co, Chichester (1986)
4. Kernohan , J.W. ‘The Parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O'Crilly A sketch of their history, with an account of the Boveedy Congregation’ Coleraine, (1912)
5. Sampson, Rev. George, Vaughan ‘A Memoir; Explanatory of the Survey of the Survey of the County of Londonderry’ G&W Nicol, London (1814)
6. Dictionary of Irish Architects (http://dia.ie/)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
U. Historic Associations
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship

Evaluation

A detached symmetrical single-storey former school constructed by the Mercers’ Company C.1845 with a twin-gable fronted entrance porch and advancing gable-fronted end bays. Set back from the eastern side of the Agivey Road and located on an elevated site within a mature rural setting. In recent decades the interior has been remodelled for modern domestic use. Despite some changes the building remains a prominent architectural feature, enhancing the historic landscape and constituting a good example of a pre- National School by the architect William Barnes. The style, scale and form reflect the educational reforms of the time but are also representative of the welfare improvement schemes that were instigated by the Mercers' Company during the mid nineteenth century. The former school house was designed by an important architect and makes a significant contribution to the historic character of the area and is of considerable social importance and interest to the local community.

General comments

Additional listing criteria apply- R- Age, S- Authenticity, T- Historic Importance, U-Historic Associations.