Old Technical School, Downshire Road, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 3JY

An Edwardian two-storey three-bay former technical school in red-brick with decorative half-timbered gables; built c.1900 to designs by Henry Hobart and extended c.1910. Located to the north side of Downshire Road, near the junction with Bridge Street. Rectangular plan with projecting entrance porch to south, single-storey lean-to extensions to north and west and two-storey annexe (1910) to east. Pitched natural slate roof with decorative terracotta ridge crestings and finials, red-brick chimneystack and decorative half-timbered gables. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on exposed rafter tails. Walling is Flemish-bonded red-brick with decorative string course to first floor. Windows are tripartite timber-framed casements with leaded-and-stained glass panels to upper section. The principal elevation faces south and is symmetrically arranged with three evenly-spaced windows to first floor. Projecting porch to ground floor centre surmounted by a corniced balustrade with carved urns and terracotta panels; Y-tracery timber window to left and right cheek with coloured glass panels. Tudor-arched entrance is flanked by brick pilasters with terracotta capitals; original half-panelled timber door with stained-glass panels flanked by sidelights and surmounted by transom light; accessed by cast-iron gates. The west elevation has a timber casement window to ground floor left. The north elevation has full-height extension to centre with modern single-storey lean-to extension at basement level to north and west. East elevation of wing has irregularly arranged fenestration and a four-panelled timber door with transom light to ground floor left. The east elevation is abutted by the two-storey annexe. Annexe comprises a gabled two-storey block connected to the original building by a double-height stair-bay. South elevation is two windows wide at each floor; stair-bay at left has a double-leaf modern timber door surmounted by a transom light and hood mould and a paired timber casement window to exposed west section. The east elevation has two half-timbered gabled windows to first floor and two windows to ground floor. Setting Situated close to the junction of Bridge Street and Downshire Road, opposite the former Northern Bank (HB17/06/021) and beside the Methodist Church (HB17/06/002) and the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church (HB17/06/003). Directly to north is the River Bann. Set back from the street with original red-brick boundary plinth wall topped by sandstone coping and decorative wrought iron railings; red-brick gate piers have chamfered shafts and corniced sandstone caps. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Flemish-bonded red-brick Windows: Timber-framed casements RWG: Cast-iron