Former Presbyterian School House, Newry Road / Loughbrickland Road junction, Rathfriland, Newry, Co Down, BT34 5AL

This is a single-storey, two-bay symmetrical former Presbyterian school house, likely constructed between 1820 and 1839. It is situated at the junction of the Newry Road and Loughbrickland Road in Rathfriland, Newry, and is now used as a hall. The building has a hipped roof covered in artificial slates, along with modern plastic rainwater goods and downpipes. A central granite chimney features recessed panels, a projecting moulded cap, and a platband. The walls are lined rendered with stepped granite quoins. The principal, northeast-facing elevation has a central entrance flanked by windows in each bay. The entrances have modern t&g sheeted doors with matching fixed panels and are set within fine unpainted granite surrounds with granite labelled drip moulds. All windows are modern timber 2/2 vertically divided top-hung casements with granite cills and matching drip moulds. A smooth, polished granite plaque inscribed "Saint Mary’s/ Parish Centre/ 1998" is positioned at the centre of the elevation, above a granite moulded cornice aligning with the drip moulds. A modern light is also present on the front wall. Each gable is abutted by a lower, shallower entrance porch, dressed to resemble the main block, with modern t&g doors, recessed panels, and granite moulded cornices. The rear elevation has five windows and is abutted by a mono-pitch lean-to with an artificial slate roof and concrete skews. A modern light is positioned centrally on the end (rear) wall. The building is set within a large car park on a wedge-shaped site. Two plain modern bollards are present, one at each entrance. According to the 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir, the building was constructed by subscription in 1830 at a cost of £250 but remained unfinished due to disagreements regarding the system of education to be adopted.