Drumraymond Community Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached single-hall rendered schoolhouse, dated 1902, facing west and located to the east of Roguery Road. L-plan with central coupled porches, return to rear with modern extension to internal angle (c.1970, of no interest).

Schoolhouse has pitched roof. The walling is painted block-marked render over chamfered smooth-rendered plinth and with concave moulded cornices. Windows are square-headed with stone cills, stop-ended moulded reveals and shallow segmental heads (those to front elevation in have metal grilles, remainder are blocked up).

Principal west elevation has paired gabled porches to centre with bracketed masonry name plaque inscribed “Gorthill / National Schools / 1902” (word “National” chiselled out). Exposed porch cheeks both have a door opening; painted timber single panel to left, sheeted to right. There are two windows to either side of the porch.

North gable is blank and abutted by a small outbuilding detailed as main block with central blocked up window to its gable. Exposed schoolhouse gable is blank.

Rear east elevation has return to left; the remainder is abutted by the extension which has a lean to roof and small high level modern top hung windows; return gable is abutted by central full height blockwork extension.

South elevation gable has two higher windows; return elevation has extension has three windows as before; all windows are blocked up.

Setting

Set close to the road in a gravelled plot, accessed from road through modern gates. Bound to roadside by timber fence, and to rear by hedges.

Roof: Natural slate with red clay roll-top ridge tiles,
Windows: Timber casements
Doors: Timber sheeted
Rainwater goods: Half-round cast-iron

Historical information

The schoolhouse is dated 1902 and has been used as a community hall c.1975.

Attendance records are available at PRONI from 1904 to 1954. The schoolhouse was bought outright from the school trustees c.1995 The structure originally had three classrooms, each with its own entrance. The return was used for infants, and had a dividing screen. Younger children were taught at the right side of the main hall, older children to the left, with classes divided by a retractable screen.

A memorial plaque to the victims of the Great Famine was erected to the grounds in the 1970s but has since been removed.

Primary Sources:

1. Datestone

Secondary Sources:
2. PRONI School Records 1904 -1954

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached single-hall rendered schoolhouse, dated 1902. A modestly scaled and well proportioned former National school. The hall retains many original features, both internally and externally and is of social significance in the context of the rural community. It is a good example of the type, which is increasingly rare.

General comments

This record has been renumbered and was previously HB20/01/002.