Riding School, Crom Castle Estate, Newtownbutler, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 8AP

A large riding school, dating from 1860, is a notable feature of the Crom Castle Estate in County Fermanagh. Reflecting the estate’s development during the mid-19th century, it was built by John Crichton, third Earl of Erne, at a cost of £415. This type of building is relatively uncommon in Northern Ireland. The riding school, also referred to as a riding house, is aligned northeast-southwest adjacent to the north stable yard. It is a single-storey structure with a pitched roof covered in natural slate and half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. The walls are constructed of coursed stone with dressed sandstone quoins, and brick dressings are used around the windows. Originally fitted with 2/2 sliding sash windows, most of these have now been infilled. The northeast gable features a central Tudor-arched opening with dressed sandstone reveals, containing a pair of tongue-and-groove (t+g) sheeted doors and a matching skylight. Above this opening is a window with stepped sandstone reveals. Larger windows are located on either side. The southeast elevation has three infilled window openings on the left end, and two windows with flush stone cills on the right end. A t+g sheeted door with stepped sandstone reveals is situated at the extreme right end. The southwest gable originally included a large sliding door and an infilled opening; a modern timber sheeted sliding door was inserted on the left side in 1956-58, when the building was used to house saw milling equipment. This machinery was removed in the 1960s, and the space became a machinery store. The northwest elevation originally contained five windows. The riding school is first shown on the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of 1907. It adjoined the gasworks, which was built between 1854 and 1855. The building contributes to the group value of the Crom Castle Estate and retains some architectural interest despite subsequent alterations.