Former Beltrim National School, Glenpark Road, Gortin, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, BT79 8TL

Former Beltrim National School

A simple former National School built around 1899, set prominently at the west end of Gortin village opposite St. Patrick's Church of Ireland. National Schools are significant to social history, and this building retains its original character and detailing, representing an increasingly rare unaltered example of the type.

The building is a detached, eight-bay single-storey structure of rectangular plan, facing east and set back within its own grounds on the west side of Glenpark Road. It is dated 1899 by a stone plaque on the front elevation reading "BELTRIM / NATIONAL SCHOOL / 1899".

The pitched natural slate roof features black clay ridge tiles and a central red brick chimneystack. The eaves have exposed profiled timber rafter feet and cast-iron rainwater goods, with profiled timber bargeboards to both gables. The walls are painted rough-cast render with a drip course.

The front east elevation comprises six square-headed window openings with painted stone sills, fitted with 6/9 hybrid timber and steel hopper windows. Square-headed door openings sit at either end of the front elevation, now fitted with replacement vertically-sheeted timber doors. The south and north side gables each have a single square-headed window opening matching those on the front. The west rear elevation has six evenly spaced window openings of the same type.

The building stands within a square bitumac site enclosed on all four sides by rubble stone walls with cement coping. To the rear west wall is a lean-to rubble stone structure with a single-pitched slate roof, formerly the toilets. The road boundary wall features a pair of piers constructed in tooled squared stone with tooled capstones and a wrought-iron gate.

The school first appears on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1905-6, captioned "School", with the schoolyard shown divided into two halves and a small outhouse to the west. The 1906 Annual Revision Records describe it as a "National School and Land" valued at £11 and 5 shillings for the land, held in fee by the National Board of Education. By 1933, valuers' notes recorded it as comprising two classrooms with earth closets, accommodating 120 pupils, though only 79 were on roll at that time. The building dimensions were recorded as 79 by 24 by 15 feet. A local history publication contains reminiscences from a former pupil and an undated photograph showing the school alongside a teacher's residence dated 1905. A parish history identifies it as "Beltrim Church of Ireland National School" and records that it operated from 1899 to 1983, including photographs of the school and former pupils, along with a list of teachers at its opening.