Former Lancasterian School, Church Street, Banbridge, Co. Down, BT32 4QL

An almost symmetrical multi-bay two-storey former school, now apartments; built c.1829 and located to the west side of Church Street in Banbridge town centre. Rectangular plan with two projecting side wings. Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles, raised stone verges and rendered chimneystacks. Cast iron half-round rainwater goods on projecting eaves with cast-iron downpipes and hoppers. Walling is painted smooth render on a contrasting plinth. Windows are a variety of timber sliding sash with projecting sills; those to SE gables are set into double-height arched recesses. The principal elevation faces south-east and is symmetrically arranged, comprising a rectangular main block with first floor balcony, flanked by gabled side wings. First floor balcony is flush with gables, has decorative cast-iron balustrade and is supported on four granite Tuscan columns; bi-partite 2/2 window to centre flanked by a 3/3 window to left and a timber casement window opening on a hinge to right. Ground floor has a replacement six-panelled timber door to left of centre and three 3/6 windows. The gabled side wings each have replacement multi-paned windows in altered openings at each floor set into a double-height three-centred-arched recess and a pedimented ornamentation to gable with rectangular recess; six-panelled timber doors to inner cheeks at ground floor. The south-west elevation has three evenly spaced windows to each floor; 4/4 to first floor and 4/8 to ground floor. The north-west (rear) elevation has a six-panelled timber door to left of centre and asymmetric fenestration. Gabled wings each have to their inner cheek, a replacement multi-paned timber door to first floor and a six-panelled timber door and window to ground floor. Gables have paired 2/4 windows at either floor. The north-east fenestration is as the south-west elevation. Setting Facing the Bann River, the setting has been significantly compromised with a modern housing development built in the grounds of the former school. The building is now part of the housing estate and has been converted into apartments. Tarmacadam to front with car-park. Enclosed yard to rear with rubble stone boundary wall. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Render Windows: Timber RWG: Cast iron