THE SCHOOL HOUSE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-storey early Gothic Revival school house built c.1820, now converted into a dwelling; oblong in plan form with additional rear single-storey extension. Located south of the junction between Purdysburn Hill and Ballycoan Road, south of Belvoir Hospital and within the Drumbeg Area of Village Character.

Hipped modern interlocking pan-tile with roof and large overhanging eaves, with timber boarded soffits and eaves boards. Cast-iron ogee moulded gutters with circular downpipes. Two tall chimney stacks, smooth rendered, natural finish located over south elevation. Walling is primarily galletted rubble stone; rendered south elevation and extension. Windows are timber framed tripartite, gothic styled equilateral pointed arch sliding sash, inset into rectangular openings; label moulding over with stone cill. A few appear to be modern sympathetic replicas. Doors are timber sheeted painted white, with cast-iron ironmongery.

The principal elevation faces north and is symmetrically arranged. A single storey pitched roof porch is centrally located with the front door located on the left cheek. The door is inset into a four centred arched opening and the door and solid panel over are decorated with cast metal studs. The porch has a pair of tripartite windows to either side.

The east elevation is a symmetrically arranged with hipped roof over and a centrally located tripartite window.

The south elevation is asymmetrically arranged with a single storey cat slide extension located right of centre. At eaves level the large over hanging soffit to the extension joins the deep overhanging eaves of the main building. To the right of the extension is a single tripartite window. To the left is a square, four pane timber casement window set within the frame of a former sliding sash, with modern concrete cill; another tripartite window is located further left. The rear entrance is located on the west cheek of the extension; timber sheeted door; cast-iron strap hinges set within a segmental arched opening. Immediately right is a narrow horizontal window set at eye level; tripartite window to the right with matching details to the existing. All other openings are modern timber casement.

The west elevation matches the east elevation. A modern lean-to greenhouse projects the full width of the elevation.

SETTING:
The dwelling sits on an elevated site overlooking a main road accessed from a short driveway.
To the southwest of the house there is a range outbuildings forming an L-shape on plan and varying in age and construction. Of historic interest is a rubble-stone square shaped structure with hipped roof at the corner which, according to the current owner, was a toilet block. This building appears on the first OS map of 1834.

MATERIALS:
Roofing: Modern interlocking tile
Walling: Rubblestone /cement render
Windows : Tripartite timber sliding sash/ timber casement
RWG : Cast-iron gutters with uPVC downpipes

Historical information

The first edition OS map of 1834 captions the building ‘School Ho(use)’, although the footprint of the building shows a return projecting centrally from the north elevation, likewise on the 1858 OS map. During this period the Townland Valuations 1824-40 valued the school at £5 13s which was increased to £6 in 1863 at the time of Griffiths Valuation. The valuation remained unchanged throughout the Annual Revisions 1865-1929. The OS map of 1901 clearly shows that a return projected from the south elevation, of similar proportions to the present north facing porch; this remained the same on the 1938 OS map. By 1965, the south projecting was removed and by 1986 the footprint matched the current layout with a more substantial extension to the south. The General Report 1922-25 records the principal as Jason C. McIntyre with various assistants. An inspection dated 6th June 1924 notes, “School rooms are neat, clean and comfortable and the school grounds are spacious and surrounded by beautiful wooded country. An additional window has recently been put in the back wall of the school room.”

Brett states that the former school house was built in 1822 for £300, £200 of which was paid for by Narcissus Batt of Purdysburn Estate. (Brett p.232)

Major alterations were carried out to the house c.1970 whereby a new roof and alterations to the south projecting return were carried out.

Reference – Primary Source

1. PRONI OS/6/1/9/1 – OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/1/9/2 – OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/1/9/3 – OS Map 1901
4. PRONI OS/6/1/9/7 – OS Map 1938
5. PRONI VAL/1B/326 – Annual Revision 1828-40
6. PRONI VAL/1A/3/9 – Annual Revision Filed Map 1830
7. PRONI VAL/2B/3/25A – GriffithsValuation 1856-1864
8. PRONI VAL/12B/20/11A-E – Annual Revisions 1865-1929
9. PRONI ED/14/C/95 – General Report 1922-1925

Reference - Secondary Source

1. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of County Antrim” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

S. Authenticity
R. Age
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An oblong single-storey stone former school with double hipped roof and gabled entrance porch, built c.1820 and largely characterised by tripartite gothic arched windows and deep overhanging eaves. Located on the south side of Purdysburn Hill within the Drumbeg Area of Village Character, the building is now converted to a dwelling. A substantial not wholly sympathetic extension, projecting from the south side, was added c.1970, changing the original appearance of the building from this aspect. Nonetheless, the north, east and west facades remain well proportioned with galletted rubblestone and distinctive fenestration; the latter also survives to the south and a mature landscaped setting - with original small stone hipped roof outbuilding on the site boundary - further augments its historic character. Inside, the symmetrical plan form remains legible, despite subdivision in part, making it a good example from a social and cultural perspective of an early two-room school.

General comments

Drumbeg Area of Village Character