Ballyvicknacally School, 91 Ballynahinch Road, Banbridge, Co Down, BT25 1DX

A double-height rendered Victorian former school-house; built c.1850, extended 1906, and converted into a dwelling in 1972; located to the north side of Ballynahinch Road west of Dromore. Rectangular block (1850) with adjoining lower annexe (1906); abutted by a single-storey modern extension to rear. Pitched natural slate roof with decorative crestings to roofline, plain bargeboards to gables and modern skylight insertions; yellow brick chimneystacks to gables having two tall clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on box eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with troupe l’oeil quoins and contrasting plinth. Windows are replacement uPVC throughout with projecting painted masonry sills and contrasting reveals. The principal elevation faces east; main block has four evenly-spaced windows. Annexe to right has modern timber door to left and two smaller windows to right. The south gable is blank. To gable is an inscribed slate plaque reading BALLYVICKNAKELLY NATIONAL SCHOOL. WILLIAM COWAN HERON PATRON AND PROPRIETOR”. To either side of this are exposed purlin ends. The west (rear) elevation is four windows wide. Annexe to left is recessed and abutted by a modern extension, similarly detailed but of no historic interest. The north gable is blank; abutted to right by a slated lean-to extension with modern door. Setting: Situated in a rural setting to the west of Dromore; south gable to main road. Tarmacadamed lane to east leads to parking area and rear courtyard; and to a two-storey farmhouse to north. To west is the former headmaster’s house (HB17/14/003B). Lawned garden to rear bounded to south and north by modern timber fence. To north is a detached garage (1996) on the site of the original toilet block. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Smooth render Windows: uPVC RWG: Cast-iron