The School House, 2 Purdysburn Hill, Purdysburn, Lisburn, Co. Down

The School House is a single-storey former school building built around 1820, now converted to a dwelling. Located on elevated ground on the south side of Purdysburn Hill, within the Drumbeg Area of Village Character, the building exemplifies early Gothic Revival design and represents an important example of early two-room school provision from a social and cultural perspective.

The building is oblong in plan with a hipped roof and gabled entrance porch facing north. The principal north elevation is symmetrically arranged with a centrally positioned pitched roof porch containing the front door, inset within a four-centred arched opening and decorated with cast metal studs. To either side of the porch are pairs of tripartite gothic-styled windows. The east and west elevations are symmetrically composed with hipped roofs and centrally located tripartite windows. The south elevation is asymmetrically arranged, with a substantial single-storey cat slide extension added around 1970 projecting from the right side of centre.

The walling is primarily galletted rubblestone with a rendered south elevation and extension. The hipped roof is modern interlocking pan tile with large overhanging eaves finished with timber boarded soffits and eaves boards. Cast-iron ogee moulded gutters with circular downpipes run around the building. Two tall chimney stacks with smooth rendered finish stand over the south elevation.

The distinctive fenestration comprises timber-framed tripartite gothic-styled equilateral pointed arch sliding sash windows, inset into rectangular openings with label moulding and stone cills. Some windows appear to be modern sympathetic replicas. The principal entrance door is timber-sheeted and painted white with cast-iron ironmongery. A rear entrance on the west side of the extension is timber-sheeted with cast-iron strap hinges set within a segmental arched opening. A modern lean-to greenhouse projects from the west elevation.

Inside, the symmetrical plan form remains legible despite partial subdivision, demonstrating the early school layout with two teaching rooms. Major alterations were undertaken around 1970 involving a new roof and modifications to the south projecting return. By 1986, the footprint had been modified to match the current configuration with the more substantial southern extension.

The setting is elevated and overlooks a main road, accessed via a short driveway. The mature landscaped grounds contain a range of outbuildings forming an L-shape to the southwest. Of historic significance is a rubble-stone square-shaped structure with hipped roof at the corner, which served as a toilet block and appears on the first Ordnance Survey map of 1834.

The building's original cost was £300, with £200 contributed by Narcissus Batt of Purdysburn Estate. The building is recorded as "School Ho(use)" on the 1834 and 1858 Ordnance Survey maps. Townland Valuations of 1824–40 valued the school at £5 13 shillings, increased to £6 in 1863 at the time of Griffiths Valuation, a figure that remained unchanged through Annual Revisions until 1929. An inspection dated 6 June 1924 noted that "School rooms are neat, clean and comfortable and the school grounds are spacious and surrounded by beautiful wooded country." The principal at that time was Jason C. McIntyre. Ordnance Survey maps show that a return projection from the north elevation (visible on the 1834 and 1858 maps) was later repositioned to the south elevation, appearing on the 1901 and 1938 maps. By 1965 the south projection had been removed, and the building's footprint had evolved to its present form by 1986.