Drumnasole School,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, five-bay building with roughcast walls and rendered dressings, originally with a slated roof behind a parapet, both side elevations slate-hung, windows double-hung with full glazing bars, and a large semi-circular fanlight with looped glazing bars over the entrance, but now roofless and windowless, and with most of its slate-hanging gone. There is a roofless porch supported on Tuscan columns of sandstone in front of the entrance, surmounted by a blind oculus at first-floor level, and a square pediment over, decorated with an elliptical oculus. To the rear is a lean-to extension and a tall stone chimney.

Historical information

Built in 1820 at a cost of £1000 by Francis Turnly of Drumnasole House, and entirely supported by him until 1833 when it was placed under the management of the National Board of Education. Described in 1970 as being in poor condition when its original belfry cupola was missing but its windows were still intact; since then has fallen into a state of complete dereliction.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1832, Co Antrim 25.

Secondary Sources
1. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 13: Parishes of County Antrim IV, 1830-8 (Belfast, 1992), pp 4 and 7.
2. S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Vol I (London, 1837), p 45.
3. Mr and Mrs S.C. Hall, Ireland: its Scenery, Character etc, Vol III (London, 1843), p 133.
4. UAHS, Glens of Antrim (UAHS, Belfast, 1971), pp 22 and 26.
5. SMR no. ANT 20:31, 32 and 33.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This was a building which was of special architectural interest but is now derelict and bereft of most of its features of interest.