Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Former Ardmillan Primary School
Ballydorn, Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- House
- Date of construction
- 1820 - 1839
- Address
- Former Ardmillan Primary School, 6 Ballydorn Road, Ballydorn, Killinchy, Co Down, BT23 6QB
- Townland
- Ballydorn
- Council
- Ards and North Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.48917, -5.67023
- Date of survey
- 28 July 1998
- HB reference
- HB24/17/089
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1794 "Sheet 55. (Cary's England, Wales, and Scotland)." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Former single storey schoolhouse (now a dwelling), set on the N side of the Ballydorn Road (near the junction of the Killakin Road) a mile N of the village of Killinchy.
The S facade used to be the front. It consists of six windows now with modern frames made to look like sash with Georgian panes. Plain render surrounds to windows. The third window to the left has a small panel above which is inscribed ‘BUILT AD 1826’. The window to the far left used to be the entrance. It too has an inscribed panel dating from 1931.
The W facade has a small window to the right, similar in style to those at front but smaller. The E gable is blank, but has evidence of two blocked up windows.
To the left at the rear is a projecting gabled section with a recent bowed window to the gable. To the right of this is a large flat roofed section with an open porch within which is a modern entrance door. To the right of the this open porch (on the rear of the flat roofed section) is a broad modern window, with a door to the far right.
The entire facade is covered in rough cast render and painted. The main roof is hipped with Bangor blue slates and red clay ridge tiles. Brick chimney stack to E side of roof. Small brick chimney stack to flat roof at rear. PVC rw goods.
Rendered wall to front at road side.
Historical information
This schoolhouse was erected in 1826 and is undoubtedly among those twelve schools in Killinchy parish noted in the OS memoirs of c.1833. The first valuation returns (c.1835) note that it was a National School and it is marked as such on the OS map of 1859-60. The building, later known as ‘Ardmillan Public Elementary School’ was ‘reconditioned’ in 1931 and finally closed its doors in 1982. In 1985 the present owners converted the property to a dwelling house.
References- Primary sources
1 Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991), p. 12.
2 PRONI OS map 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 17.
3 PRONI VAL 1B/335 p.73 (223) 1st valuation, Killinchy parish, Ballydorn td., c.1835.
4 PRONI OS map 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 17.
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
Single storey school house of 1826 extended at the rear on several occasions and converted to a dwelling in 1985. Some original door and window openings have been blocked and the interior layout appears to have been altered with detailing removed.
Nearby in the register
- ’The Brig’Houseunder 1 mi
- Ardmillan BridgeBridgeunder 1 mi
- Ardmillan HouseHouseunder 1 mi
- [?23] Ballydorn RoadDemolishedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.