Carricknaveagh Primary School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-storey red-brick rural school built c.1940 and located to the east side of Carricknaveagh Road near Temple, Lisburn, now vacant and boarded up. Consists of a rectangular main block clasped on three sides by a slightly lower frontal section having central raised entrance bay.

Main roof is hipped and laid with clay tiles and ridge tiles; flat-roof to three sides (excluding rear). Red brick chimneystack below ridgeline; tall chimneystack to right hip. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Walling is stretcher bonded red brick; porch is of cast concrete. Windows are steel-framed with projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is nine openings wide. To centre is (slightly taller) projecting entrance bay comprising, central porch flanked by a window to either side; steel double-leaf doors enclosed in projecting cast concrete reveals surmounted by curved canopy and laid with terrazzo flooring.

The northeast elevation has a variety of windows; to left is wrought-iron gated entrance.

The southeast (rear) elevation is eight openings wide; to far left is timber entrance door.

The southwest elevation has six diminutive window openings with large window to far left and entrance to right of centre.

Setting:

Located on a square site of approximately one acre in an attractive rural
setting with neighbouring farmland; accessed via a narrow country road. Enclosed on three sides by hedgerow and trees; bounded to road by red brick wall with saddleback coping stones. Tarmacadamed surround to building with playground to rear, entrance to southwest and pathway to centre; lawned to all sides. Curved entrance to centre and southwest with gate piers and wrought-iron gate.

Roof: Mainly hipped rosemary tiles
Walling: Stretcher bonded red-brick
Windows: Steel frames
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Carricknaveagh Primary School was erected before 1949 for the Down County Educational Committee when it was described as ‘a new primary school’ although field research conducted at the site would support a construction date of c. 1940. This oblong red brick school was originally valued at £100 in the Annual Revision report for 1949-50 and cost £9,898 to construct. The school possessed five main rooms including two classrooms, a dining room, kitchen and lavatories; heating was provided by a boiler which was situated in one of the classrooms. Due to its use as a primary school the building was exempt from valuation in the Annual Revisions.

The Annual Revision report records that there were 55 children on the roll for the 1949/50 school year. In its early history the school accepted a number of boarding pupils and accommodation for up to 60 pupils was available between the two classrooms, however it is not known whether these facilities have survived as the interior of the building could not be accessed during field research.

Between 1947 and 1950 Carricknaveagh Primary School submitted an application for a Trust Fund, however it is not known if this was granted. Carricknaveagh Primary School is currently lying vacant and had fallen into a dilapidated condition; many of the windows and doors have suffered damage and are boarded up although original external features such as a Terrazzo flooring to the entrance porch (recorded in the 1949/50 report) and the original gate screen still survive. An estate agent’s board at the site records that the school is currently for sale and planning permission has been granted to convert the former schoolhouse into two private dwellings.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/92/4 – Annual Revision for the rating year 1949/50
2. PRONI ED/13/1/109 – Carricknaveagh Public Elementary School Application of Trust Fund

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A single-storey red-brick rural school built c.1930 and located to the east side of Carricknaveagh Road near Temple, Lisburn, now vacant and boarded up. The building has its original aspect preserved, not having been modified or extended. The curved entrance porch and Rosemary roof tiles offers some architectural character to the otherwise austere design, defined by strong symmetry and modernist influences typical of inter-war school building. The school is of social importance to the local community.

General comments

Due to the closure of the Public Records Office this record was compiled without access to detailed sources including school records.
Please note this record has been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB19/06/028
During the assessment of this buildong NIEA became a ware that Planning Permission had been granted for the demolition of the school and the construction of a new dwelling on the same site.