Drumballyroney Old School, Bronte Interpretive Centre, Church Hill, Aughnavallog, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 5LX

A detached single-storey former schoolhouse, dating from the late eighteenth century and now in use as part of the Brontë Interpretative Centre, along with the former Drumballyroney Church (HB17/09/011A). Simple rectangular plan extended to east by a toilet block. Pitched natural slate roof with rendered skews and paired lozenge chimneystacks (partially rebuilt) to gables, rendered and painted white. Cast-iron rainwater goods on drive-in brackets. Walling is limewashed lime render. Windows are replacement timber casements, with painted masonry cills. Principal elevation faces north and has four openings, including a replacement timber sheeted door to left of centre. It supports a wrought-iron pedestrian gate to right of centre, accessing the church yard. East gable is completely abutted by the toilet block. South elevation has three window openings. West gable is blank. Setting The school is set on an elevated site overlooking the surrounding countryside and the Mournes to south and east. There is a small burial ground to south, bounded by hedgerow and mature trees; dated burial markers from the early eighteenth century, several stones appearing earlier. Immediately to north-west, sharing the site, is the former Drumballyroney Church (HB17/03/011A), also part of the Brontë Interpretative Centre. Entrance is accessed from a picnic area at north, having a mosaic plaque depicting a scene from Wuthering Heights; accessed from east via a tarmac car park bounding the site. Bounding the road to north is a roughcast boundary wall, having a wrought-iron pedestrian gate. Roof: Natural slate Walling: render Windows: Timber RWG: Cast iron