Former schoolhouse at Edengrove Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Substantial, two-storey, random rubble ‘vernacular classical’ former schoolhouse of 1841, with gabled bay and prominent access ‘ramp’ to front, the latter enabling entrance to the first floor former classroom. To the rear there is a large, modern, single storey extension. The property is set next to Edengrove Presbyterian church (on the N side of Dromore Road on the W side of the town of Ballynahinch), a building it matches in both style and date.

To the centre of the front (S) elevation is a two storey gabled bay / projection. To the left of centre of the ground floor of this is a modern half glazed door. To the centre of the first floor semicircular headed sash window with Georgian and margin panes. (14/10) The sides of the bay are blank.

To the ground floor to the left of the return (on main front façade) is a semicircular headed window with sash frame (2/2). Directly above to first floor is a larger semicircular-headed sash window with Georgian panes and margins (14/10). To the right of the bay there is one ground floor and one first floor window, as the left side, but with modern frame to ground floor window.

To the right side of the front façade, (actually attached to the E gable), is a small gabled porch which is located at first floor level and is accessed by a large, prominent, stone ramp with galvanised metal handrails. The porch has a plain timber sheeted door to the S face while the E face has one small plain window.

The W gable has two small 2/2 windows to ground floor. That to the right is sash while that to the left is a modern top hung window. Directly above there are two semicircular-headed sash windows with margins as before. To the centre of the gable is a small roundel with a four-pane pivot window. This gable is finished in rough cast render.

The ground floor of the E has two modern windows to ground floor while the first floor has two evenly spaced semicircular windows as first floor front façade. To the gable peak is a centred four pane roundel, as before. A set of railings attached to this façade divides the car park and cemetery from the fore court. This gable, and the E face and rear of the porch, are finished in rough cast also.

The rear façade has a semicircular-headed window as before to the left side of the first floor. The opening is finished with in / out brick dressings. To the right side is a modern glazed door with a semicircular-headed fanlight. The original dressings indicate that this was a window matching that to the left and was altered recently to give access to the galvanised metal fire escape stair. To the left side of the ground floor is a half glazed door with red brick in / out dressings. The brickwork appears modern which would suggest that this door has been added in recent times. Projecting from the right hand side of the rear façade is a large, modern, flat roofed single storey extension.

The gabled roof is slated, as is that to the bay and that to the porch. Brick chimney stack to W (set in front of the roof ridge). Mainly cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

This former schoolhouse was built in 1841, at the same time as (and in connection with) the neighbouring Presbyterian church. The school, which originally belonged to the National system, continued until the mid 1900s [?c.1947]. Since then, the building has been used by the neighbouring church, with a Sunday school meeting in the first floor former classroom. The ground floor served for a time as a sexton’s residence, but was completely renovated in c.1987 and is now used for meetings, choir practice etc.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.1255 Title deeds, legal and testamentary papers, correspondence and Irish Land Commissioners Papers re the Ballynahinch Estate, 1630-1940
2 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), p.408
3 PRONI OS/6/3/22/2 OS map, Down sh 22, 1858
4 PRONI and Linen Hall Library Second (Griffith’s) valuation, Magherdrool, c.1863 [in print]
5 George Henry Bassett ‘Co Down guide and directory’ (Dublin 1886), pp.369-79
6 PRONI OS/6/3/22/3 OS map, Down sh 22, c.1901

Secondary sources
1 C.E.B. Brett, ‘Historic buildings…Mid Down’ (Belfast 1974), pp.40-41

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Substantial, two-storey, random rubble ‘vernacular classical’ former schoolhouse of 1841 with gabled bay and prominent access ‘ramp’ to front, the latter enabling entrance to the first floor former classroom. To the rear there is a large, modern, single storey extension. The property is set next to Edengrove Presbyterian church, a building it matches in both style and date.